f- 


LETTER 


or 


GOYEKNOE    PEIRPOINT, 


TO    HIS    EXCELLENCY 


THiE  :f:r.esii3E]i^t 


AND     i HE 


HONORABLE    CONGRESS  OF  THE   UNITED    STATES, 


ON    THE    SUBJECT    OF 


ABUSE    OF    MILITAHA^    POAYER    IN    THE    COM- 
MAND OF  GENTEEAL  EUTLER  IN  VIRGINIA 
AND  NORTH  CAROLINA. 


WASHINGTON,    D .    C .  : 
McGILL  &  ^VITIIErvOW,  TRINTERS  AND  STEREOTYPERS. 

18G4. 


1 


?  f6/X 


To  IIis  Excellency  the  President 

AND  THE  Hon.  Congress  of  the  U.  S.  : 

Gentlemen  :  It  is  a  mostpainfal  necessity  which  has  made 
it  imperative  on  me  to  call  your  attention  to  the  ahuses  of 
military  power  in  Virginia.  I  have  exhausted  all  the  means 
known  to  me  without  success,  to  redress  these  wrongs. 
Your  time  is  so  much  occupied  that  it  isimpossible  for  me 
to  go  to  you  individually  and  relate  the  contents  of  the  fol- 
lowing pages.  Having  so  many  other  duties  to  perform,  to 
economize  time  I  have  adopted  this  method  as  most  con- 
venient to  myself,  with  a  desire  also  to  consult  your 
convenience,  hoping  that  you  may  find  a  leisure  hour  to 
look  into  the  subject  here  presented. 

In  addition  to  what  is  herein  stated  in  regard  to  General 
Butler's  department  in  Virginia,  I  assigned  to  myself  the 
task  of  stating  some  fiicts  in  regard  to  the  military  adminis- 
tration of  General  Slough  in  this  city  of  Alexandria  during 
the  last  eighteen  months;  but  as  General  Slough's  case  has 
has  been  referred  to  the  Committee  on  the  Conduct  of  the 
AVar,  it  may  be  considered  premature  for  me  to  present  the 
facts  until  that  committee  has  had  an  02")portunity  to  fully 
investigate  the  subject.  I  have  only  presented  a  few  of  the 
cases  at  Korfolk,  and  could  only  do  so  of  those  in  Alexan- 
dria, without  swelling  this  pamphlet  to  too  large  proportions. 
In  Alexandria  arbitrary  power  has  taken  a  less  range  than 
at  Norfolk,  but  in  some  of  its   exercise   it  has  been   more 


cTamr.gii]g  to  tlie  principles  of  our  orgauic  la^y.  "What  I 
mean  by  arbitrary  exercise  of  power,  is  a  ccqmcious  exercise 
■of  power  outside  of  the  rules  of  icar  in  a  manner  to  justly 
render  the  military  authority  obnoxious  to  the  friends  of  the 
Government  and  the  Union  cause. 

"With  a  most  ardent  desire  for  the  welfare  and  safety  of 
our  common  country,  and  the  discharge  of  a  most  solemn 
duty  I  owe  to  those  whom  I  represent,  I  submit  this  subject 
to  your  enlightened  and  patriotic  consideration. 

F.  H.  PEIRPOIXT. 

Alexandria,  Ya., 

Jjyril  18,  18e4. 


LETTER. 


On  the  loth  day  of  April,  18G1,  the  Virojinia  convention 
went  into  secret  session.  lion.  W.  T.  Willey,  now  United 
States  Senator,  wrote  to  his  friends  at  Morgan  town  to  pre- 
pare for  war — the  State  wouhl  secede.  They  must  look  for 
tlie  worst.  On  the  22d  of  the  same  month  a  mass  meetins: 
was  held  at  that  place;  that  being  court  day,  it  was  expected 
that  speakers  on  both  sides  would  be  present,  to  address  the 
people.  A  delegation  of  four  hundred  Union  men  came 
from  the  east  end  of  the  county.  Before  they  came  into 
town  they  halted,  and  passed  a  resolution  with  GeneralJack- 
son's  oath,  that  no  secessionist  should  speak  in  town  that 
da3\  The}^  kept  their  oath.  At  one  o'clock,  with  drum  and 
fife,  and  national  flags  carried  by  different  delegations,  flags 
displayed  from  almost  every  house,  ladies  and  children  wel- 
coming, the  procession  was  formed,  which  paraded  the 
streets  for  an  hour.  A  stand  in  the  public  square  was 
erected,  the  masses  gathered  around,  appropriate  resolutions 
were  adopted,  two  speeches  were  made  denouncing  seces- 
sion and  the  conspirators.  The  crowd  refused  to  disperse,  and 
called  one  of  the  speakers  back  to  the  stand.  Several  old 
soldiers  of  1812  were  there.  One  of  them  in  great  earnest- 
ness, said:  '*You  must  tell  us  what  to  do."  "Do!"  said 
the  speaker.  "  Don't  in  your  wrath  kill  any  of  these  seces- 
sionists, who,  like  spaniels,  are  slinking  around  town.  They 
want  to  be  martyrs  in  a  small  way,  to  make  capital  for  their 
cause,  and  get  an  opportunity  to  punish  you,  or  incarcerate 
3"0U  in  a  dungeon.  VVc  can't  spare  3'ou  in  that  wa3^  Go 
home,  call  your  children  around  you.  If  any  are  married, 
call  them  and  3^our  grand-children.  Tell  them  that  with 
your  strong  arms,  you  and  they  have  cleared  out  3'our  farms, 
built  3'our  houses,  and  filled  them  with  the  conveniences  of 
life.  Point  them  to  your  barns  and  your  stock  ;  say  to  them 
that  this  is  the  product  of  tlie  hard  earnings  of  white  men 


6 

W'lio  never  owned  a  slave;  that  now  the  slavehoklers  of  the 
east,  with  the  traitors  in  the  west,  are  seeking  to  appropri- 
ate it  all  for  the  greater  security,  as  they  say,  of  their  slaves. 
Say  to  your  children,  no;  their  ohject  is  to  enslave  thelahor- 
ing  white  man,  and  to  use  your  strong  arms  and  all  our 
substance  to  accomplish  their  wicked  purpose.  Then  tell 
them  to  get  their  guns  in  order,  and  then  in  reunion  let  all, 
meekly  kneeling  around  the  family  altar,  promise  before 
God  to  stand  by  the  flag  and  Constitution  of  our  fathers, 
and  to  defend  it  as  long  as  life  lasts.  Then  ask  God,  for  the 
sake  of  his  Son,  to  seal  your  covenant  in  heaven,  and  give 
you  grace  and  courage  to  defend  your  section  and  country 
from  the  prey  of  the  uegro-ocrac}^  of  the  south.    That's  wdiat 

DO." 

Upon  this  charge  being  received,  the  teeth  of  old  men  and 
young  men  chattered  with  rage,  and  they  shouted,  "we  will 

DO  IT." 

In  this  spirit  similar  advice  was  given  all  over  ISTorth- 
western  Virginia.  The  people  rallied,  a  great  meeting 
was  called  by  both  parties  at  Fairmont,  the  center  of 
secessionists,  on  the  first  Monday  in  May.  I^oth  parties 
were  there  in  their  strens^th;  both  flao-s  were  flvins:;  fist 
fights  commenced  before  nine  o'clock.  By  two,  both  parties 
had  speakers  on  the  stand  ;  secesh  in  the  court  house.  Union 
out  of  doors.  Before  four,  the  secesh  attempted  to  break 
lip  the  Union  crowd,  and  the  Union  men  whipped  them  in 
a  fair  fist  fight  of  not  less  than  eighty  on  a  side.  This  broke 
the  spirit  of  secession  in  West  Virginia. 

The  first  Wheeling  convention  was  called  under  the  aus- 
pices of  the  Hon.  John  S.  Carlisle.  The  second  was  called, 
the  State  government  reorganized  and  recognized  by  the 
Government  of  the  United  States  as  the  government  of 
Virginia,  I  think  wisely  and  rightly.  The  restored  govern- 
ment put  upward  of  eighteen  thousand  Union  soldiers  into 
the  field  during  the  first  two  years  of  the  war.  West  Vir- 
ginia has  put  in  some  three  thousand  since,  in  addition  to 
which,  a  large  number  of  the  old  troops  have  re-enlisted. 
These  troops  were  as  brave  and  as  true  as  any  who  ever 
drew  a  trio-^er.  The  bones  of  manv  of  them  are  now  bleach- 
ing  on  almost  every  battle  field,  from  the  Peninsula  to 
Vicksburg. 

The  State  was  divided  by  the  consent  of  the  Legislature 
and  Congress.  The  ofiicers  and  people  indorsed  the  Presi- 
dent's proclamation  of  emancipation,  the  policy  of  enlisting 


negroes  in  the  Army,  and  the  cnrroncy  and  the  five-twenties. 
AVhile  West  Virginia  has  put  the  troops  above  named  into 
the  field,  her  people  have  subscribed  for  a  greater  amount  of 
the  five-twenty  loan  than  the  State  of  lihode  Island,  though 
one  fourth  of  the  territory  is  yet  overrun  by  guerrillas  ;  and 
Norfolk  has  established  a  national  bank,  with  a  capital  of 
§100,000,  and  the  amount  all  paid  in. 

After  the  division  of  the  State,  I  consented  to  be  elected 
Governor  of  the  State,  with  the  distinct  understanding  that 
I  would  govern  it  as  a  free  State.  The  General  Assembly 
was  called  together;  it  passed  a  bill  providing  for  a  consti- 
tutional convention  ;  the  members  of  the  convention  were 
elected  by  the  people.  The  convention  met  on  the  13th  of 
February,  1864,  in  the  city  of  Alexandria,  and  on  the  10th 
day  of  March,  with  but  one  dissenting  voice,  adopt  ed  an 
amendment  to  the  constitution  abolishing  slavery  and  in- 
voluntary servitude  in  the  State  forever. 

The  mode  of  organization  of  the  State  is  complete,  and 
as  soon  as  the  rebels  are  driven  out,  I  expect  to  organize 
ever}"  county  with  loyal  otficers,  under  the  old  flag  and  a 
free  constitution,  without  one  cent  of  charge  to  the  Fed- 
eral Government. 

I  had  the  honor  of  actinsf  as  Governor  of  Yirfrinia  for  two 
years,  with  the  seat  of  government  at  the  city  of  Wheeling. 
Troops  were  assembled  there,  mustered  into  the  service  of 
the  United  States,  and  sent  to  the  field.  Troops  from  other 
States  passed  through  the  city.  The  police  regulations  were, 
I  think,  about  as  good  as  they  are  in  i^orfolk  and  Alexan- 
dria. I  had  a  small  military  force  of  two  companies,  with 
Major  Darr  for  commander  of  the  post  and  provost  marshal. 
The  military  patroled  the  citj",  and  wdien  disorderly  soldiers 
were  found,  tliey  were  arrested  and  sent  to  the  guard  house. 
When  disorderly  citizens  were  found,  they  were  arrested  and 
handed  over  to  the  civil  authoritv.  When  soldiers  were 
passing  through  or  stopping  in  the  city,  the  places  where 
liquor  was  sold  were  ordered  to  be  closed.  When  the  exi- 
gency passed  the  prohibition  was  removed.  I  had  inter- 
course constantly  with  General  McClellan,  while  he  was 
there  ;  with  General  Rosecrans,  who  succeeded  him  ;  then 
with  General  Fremont;  then  General  Schenck,  and  General 
Cox,  General  Scammon,  and  all  the  time  with  General  Kel- 
ley.  This  intercourse  was  of  the  kindest  nature,  always  on 
their  part  showing  every  disposition  to  assist  in  building  up 
the  civil  government,  and  establishing  the  authority  of  law. 
A  question  was  started  as  to  where  the   military  authority 


8 

stopped  and  the  civil  began.  The  first  case  that  occurred 
was  the  shooting  of  one  soldier  by  another,  at  Parkersburg. 
The  case  was  referred  to  me.  I  answered,  the  military 
could  try  by  court-martial,  or  the  oiiender  could  be  handed 
over  to  the  civil  court.  The  latter  course  was  adopted. 
The  jury  did  not  hang  him,  but  awarded  him  ten  years  in 
the  penitentiary.  He  is  now  expiating  his  crime.  All  simi- 
lar cases  took  the  same  direction.  Harmony  has  always 
existed  between  the  civil  and  military  authorities  in  West 
Virginia.  The  result  is  a  prosperous  people,  where  the\^ 
are  safe,  and  the  great  majority  truly  loyal,  feeling  that  the 
government  is  a  blessing. 

I  make  these  prefatory-  remarks  to  you,  gentlemen,  merely 
to  impress  upon  your  mind  the  fact  that  I  am  not  a  late  ad- 
venturer in  this  rebellion,  and  a  stranger  to  civil  and  military 
rule  working  together  ;  but  to  remind  you  that  I  have  been 
right  in  the  midst  of  the  rebellion  since  the  commencement, 
and  know  of  what  I  am  writing,  thereby  hoping  to  call  your 
serious  consideration  to  the  condition  of  things  on  the  Poto- 
mac, Chesapeake,  and  Albemarle  Sound.  I  now  promise  you 
that  the  information  I  give  you,  I  do  not  expect  to  be  pleas- 
ant, but  it  is  no  less  true  and  painful  to  me.  I  do  it  in  the 
discharge  of  high  official  duty,  believing  that  3'ou  do  not 
understand  the  extent  to  which  military  power  is  abused. 

In  connection  with  the  movement  in  Western  Virginia,  I 
desire  to  make  a  single  remark.  In  the  border  counties  of 
Pennsylvania  and  Ohio,  now  represented  by  the  Hon.  Messrs. 
Dawson,  Lazeer,  AVhite,  and  Morris,  there  was  and  still  is 
a  powerful  secession  element,  ready  to  join  the  army  of  Jeft'. 
Davis  had  they  an  opportunity.  In  the  fall  of  1862,  they 
gloried  in  wearing  butternut  breast-pins,  and  at  their 
public  meetings  indulged  in  the  refined  exercise  of  lapping 
out  their  tongues  in  imitation  of  copper  snakes.  So  bitter 
v/ere  they  in  their  denunciation  of  the  movement  of  the 
restored  government  of  Virginia,  both  in  Pennsylvania  and 
Ohio,  that  I  gave  orders  if  certain  leaders  en  me  into  Virginia 
to  arrest  them  and  send  them  out  of  the  State,  as  not  safe 
to  circulate  there.  If  Western  Virginia  had  gone  into  the 
rebellion  with  spirit,  she  would  have  involved  the  whole 
border  of  western  Pennsylvania  and  southern  Ohio,  and 
God  only  knows  what  the  result  v/ould  have  been.  The 
masses  of  a  great  and  time-honored  party  had  been  taugh 
by  their  leaders  that  pro-slavery,  secession,  and  democracy j^. 
were  all  the  same,  and  the  highest  duty  they  owed  thei 
country  was  to  oppose  Abraham  Lincoln,  abolition,  and  the 


9 

Uinon.  But  fortunately  for  the  country,  many  patriotic 
democrats  came  forward  with  a  large  number  of  the  rank  and 
lile,  and  declared  to  the  world  that  democracy,  as  they  un- 
derstood it,  had  a  far  different  meaning,  and  have  demon- 
strated the  sincerity  of  their  pretensions  on  many  a  hard 
fought  battle-lield,  and  are  now  shoulder  to  shoulder  with 
the  sincere  Union  men  of  all  parties.  Future  generations 
will  admire  them  for  their  courage  in  recognizing  country 
before  party. 

By  the  act  of  the  General  Assembly,  I  was  authorized  to 
establish  the  seat  of  government  in  the  bounds  of  the  old 
State  when  West  Virs^inia  was  or2:anized.  I  fixed  it  at  Al- 
exandria.  The  county  and  municipal  laws  of  Norfolk  and 
Portsmouth  and  K'orfolk  county  w^ere  put  into  operation 
about  the  1st  of  June,  1863,  by  the  election  and  qualification 
of  proper  officers,  under  the  restored  government  of  Virginia. 
Each  officer,  before  entering  on  his  duty,  was  sworn  to  sup- 
port the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  as  the  supreme 
huv  of  the  land,  and  the  laws  of  the  restored  government 
of  Virginia — anything  in  the  ordinance  of  the  convention 
which  assembled  at  Kichmond  on  the  13th  of  February, 
1851,  to  the  contrary,  notwithstanding.  Lawyers,  doctors, 
merchants,  and  every  person  doing  business  under  a  license, 
and  clerks  in  stores,  were  required  to  take  the  same  oath. 
Accomac  and  Northampton,  Alexandria  and  Fairfax  had 
been  organized  before  that  time.  General  Dix,  with  Gen- 
eral Viele,  commanded  at  N^orfolk.  I  saw  but  little  of  them. 
General  Foster  succeeded.  I  found  him  to  be  a  soldier, 
every  inch,  and  after  we  got  acquainted,  were  strong  friends, 
as  far  as  I  know.  General  Kaglee  I  pass  over.  General 
Lockwood  commanded  in  Accomac  and  ^Northampton.  I 
found  him  as  true  as  steel,  working  faithfully  to  restore 
law  and  order,  ready  on  all  occasions  to  do  his  dut}^  in  as- 
sisting the  civil  government  to  establish  its  ascendancy,  for 
which  I  commend  him.  In  November,  General  Butler 
was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  eastern  district  of 
Virginia  and  North  Carolina.  I  sighed  wdien  I  heard  it — I 
remembered  New  Orleans.  There  was  short  rejoicing  at 
Norfolk  among  the  ultra  Union  men;  but  in  a  short  time 
the  wail  of  woe  came  up.  I  was  satisfied  he  was  going  to 
abrogate  civil  government  if  he  could  ;  that  Unionism 
availed  nothing  if  it  hiy  between  him  and  liis  object.  That 
he  was  the  seventh  vial  poured  out  to  try  the  faith  of  the 
saints. 

I  visited  Norfolk  about  the  last  of  December,  and  fully 


10 

realized  my  apprehensions.  Among  the  first  orders  General 
Butler  issued,  when  he  went  to  Norfolk  in  November  last,  w\a3 
one  threatening  punishment  to  any  person  who  used  any 
disrespectful  language  to  any  officer  or  soldier  in  the  Union 
army,  ^ext  was  an  order  directing  all  permits  granted  by 
his  predecessors  to  be  returned  to  him.  Then  came  an  order 
charging  one  per  cent,  on  all  goods  shipped  into  his  military 
district,  to  go  to  the  support  of  the  jwovost  marshaVs  fund. 
All  vessels  clearing  from  his  district  pay  from  five  to  fifteen 
dollars  according:  to  size,  to  the  same  fund.  Ovster  men 
were  taxed  from  fifty  cento  to  one  dollar  per  month  for  the 
privilege  of  taking  oysters  ;  if  in  one  field,  fifty  cents,  if  in 
two,  one  dollar.  The  provost  marshal's  court  was  fully  es- 
tablished, trying  causes  in  controversy,  from  one  dollar  to 
writs  of  ejectment;  judgments  rendered  in  land  cases,  and 
writs  of  possession  given  in  five  and  ten  days  from  date  of 
judgment.  One  man,  unable  to  pay  a  large  judgment  ren- 
dered against  him,  was  placed  in  a  felon's  cell  in  jail  and  a 
guard  put  over  his  house.  Costs,  on  about  the  scale  of  a  civil 
suit  in  court,  with  a  percentage  for  collection  were  charged, 
bringing  money  into  the  2^^^orost  marshaVs  fund  in  a  stream. 
Eebels,  whom  he  had  forced  to  take  the  oath  to  support  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States,  but  who  would  not  take  the 
oath  to  support  the  restored  government  of  Virginia,  would 
go  to  this  provost  court  to  have  their  judgments  against 
their  neighbors,  and  for  the  further  reason  that  they  paid  no 
internal  revenue  if  they  went  to  the  provost  court.  But  if 
thejMvent  to  the  civil  court  before  bringing  their  suit  they 
had  to  take  an  oath  to  support  the  restored  government  of 
Virginia  and  pay  for  an  internal  revenue  stamp,  which  went 
into  the  United  States  treasury.  The  provost  court  saved 
all  this,  wdiich  was  distasteful  to  rebels.  This  same  pro- 
vost court  was  issuing  prohibitions  forbidding  tax  collectors 
to  sell  rebel  property  levied  on  for  State  and  city  taxes. 
AVhile  I  was  there  the  provost  marshal  turned  two  men  out 
of  jail  wdio  had  been  committed  by  a  justice  for  a  misde- 
meanor or  a  felony,  and  were  awaiting  their  trial  before  a 
court  of  competent  criminal  jurisdiction. 

I  left  ]^orfolk  about  the  30th  of  December,  sick,  mentally 
and  physically,  and  came  to  this  city;  some  time  afterwards 
I  wrote  General  Butler  a  letter,  calling  his  attention  partic- 
ularly to  the  abuses  above  alluded  to,  asking'his  co-operation 
in  establishing  the  civil  government,  stating  the  opposition 
of  the  secessionists,  and  their  desire  to  break  up  the  civil 
rule.     I  also  called  his  attention  to  military  interferences 


11 

with  the  city  regulations  of  the  markets,  and  reminded  him 
that  his  provost  court  could  make  no  sale  of  real  or  personal 
estate  on  its  judgments  and  executions  that  would  pass  any 
title  to  the  property  sold.  That  a  provost  marshal's  court 
was  not  the  kind  of  a  court  contemplated  in  the  Constitu- 
tion of  the  United  States  in  which  a  party  could  be  de- 
prived of  his  property  hy  due  course  of  law. 

The  General  replied  to  my  letter,  expressing  a  desire  to 
sustain  the  civil  government ;  and  in  regard  to  his  provost 
court,  said  "that  no  debts  shall  be  collected  save  against 
those  who  are  in  rebellion  against  the  United  States  in  favor 
of  loyal  citizens,  and  when  the  property  might  escape  from 
the  honest  creditor  by  reason  of  coiijiscation."  In  regard  to 
the  civil  laws,  he  remarked:  "  The  difhculty  I  find  is  that 
there  are  all  the  civil  officers  there  known  to  the  law,  and 
none  of  the  Government."  Ke  further  said,  "  in  regard  to 
the  stalls  in  the  market,  I  have  only  directed  an  interference 
to  prevent  a  collection  by  the  city  government  of  a  year's 
rent  in  advance,  which  would  virtually  close  the  market  and 
stop  supplies  to  my  troops." 

As  I  shall  hereafter  refer  to  this  provost  court  and  the 
markets,  I  shall  not  comment  further  on  these  extracts  here. 
In  regard  to  the  officers  of  the  civil  government,  without 
the  government,  it  is  easy  to  be  seen  that  the  best  men 
'in  the  w^orld  would  be  discournged  in  the  execution 
of  the  civil  laws  when  there  was  a  provost  marshal  in 
the  city  releasing  criminals,  forbidding  sales,  assuming  con- 
currentjurisdiction  in  everything,  and  threateningto  imprison 
the  civil  officers  ;  and  as  to  securing  debts  of  honest  creditors 
against  debtors  in  rebellion,  I  informed  the  General  that  there 
^vas  the  Court  of  Hustings  of  the  two  cities,  the  Circuit 
Court,  and  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States,  all  open 
with  full  jurisdiction  in  all  cases,  and  by  the  laws  of  the 
State  any  person  in  rebellion  was  a  non-resident  for  purposes 
of  attachment,  and  that  the  attachment  was  a  lien  on  real 
estate  from  the  date  of  issue,  so  there  could  have  been  no 
reason  for  his  provost  court. 

The  next  tliino- 1  heard  was  that  Tazwel  Tavlor,  of  the 
city  of  Norfolk,  was  summoned  to  the  council  of  the  Gen- 
eral to  consult  about  the  civil  afl'airs  of  iTorfolk.  The  Mayor 
was  summoned  also.  When  the  Mayor  went,  who  is  a  true 
and  loyal  man,  he  found,  to  his  surprise,  Tazwel  in  the  room 
with  the  General.  The  General  indccentl}'  catechized  the 
Mayor  for  about  one  hour  on  tlie  affiiirs  of  the  civil  govern- 
ment of  the  city  in  the  presence  of  Tazwel   Taylor,    and 


12 

tlirongh  his  promptings,  much  to  the  chagrin  of  the  Mayor. 
Tazwel  Taylor  was  the  worst  rehel  in  [N'orfolk,  the  agent  for 
taking  the  confederate  loan  there;  took  §15,000  of  it  him- 
self, and  hullied  others  to  take,  until  he  raised  ahout 
§75,000  ;  was  an  aid  on  Magruder's  staff  while  the  rehels 
occupied  i^orfolk,  and  the  most  offensive  rebel  in  the  citj^  to 
Union  men,  because  he  was  the  chief  adviser  of  the  rebels. 
Xow,  he  becomes  General  Butler's  adviser  as  to  the  restored 
government  in  the  city.  This  may  seem  strange  when  you 
take  General  Butler's  ultra  views  into  consideration,  but  it 
is  true.  The  General's  letter  was  dated  10th  of  January, 
and  his  provost  court  is  still  in  operation.  The  last  civil 
case  I  heard  of  was  the  trial  of  a  habeas  corpus  case,  deter- 
mining the  custody  of  two  children  between  husband  and 
wife. 

But  to  show  the  hollow  pretense  of  taking  care  of  Union 
men's  rights  :  Harrington  and  Boyle,  loyal  merchants  of 
Baltimore,  brought  suit  and  obtained  judgment,  in  the  Cir- 
cuit Court  of  ]^orfolk  city,  against  a  rebel  in  arms  against  the 
United  States.  He  had  real  estate  in  Norfolk  city,  and  there 
was  an  order  of  sale,  under  an  attachment  duly  issued.  The 
order  of  sale,  was  directed  to  the  city  sergeant;  and  that 
those  of  you  who  are  lawyers  may  see  how  easily  a  provost 
marshal  issues  a  writ  of  prohibition,  I  will  here  insert  the 
writ  in  full : 

XoRFOLK,  Ya.,  March  1,  1863. 

Sir:  You  will  not  sell  at  auction  the  house  and  lot  on 
corner  of  Cumberland  and  Wolf  streets,  belonging  to  James 
Campbell,  and  now  occupied  by  Wm.  Barrett,  on  Tuesday, 
the  3d  of  March,  at  12  o'clock,  to  satisfy  an  execution  in 
your  hands,  as  you  have  advertised  to  do  for  a  few  days 
past. 

By  order  of 

Lieut.  Col.  ^YHELDOX, 

Provost  Marshal. 
George  P.  Egax,  Ca.pt.  ^  A.  D.  C. 
Deputy  Provost  Marshal. 
To  AY.  li.  JoxES,  Sergeant^ 

Corporation  Court,  Norfolk,  Virgmia. 

On  the  tliird  of  March  he  issued  another  in  the  same 
case,  commanding  him  to  respect  the  order  of  the  1st. 
Can  there  be  a  more  flagrant  usurpation  of  power  than  this? 
The  man  Barratt,  who  was  living  on  the  property,  was  a 


13 

rebel ;  the  owner  was  in  rebellion,  and  tins  is  the  court  that 
is  to  secure  protection  to  loyal  men  of  the  I^orth,  lest  the 
Government  of  the  United  States  should  cheat  them  out  of 
their  just  debts.  And  this  is  only  a  sample  of  others.  Im- 
mediately on  the  issuing  of  this  order,  Judge  Sneed,  of  the 
Circuit  Court,  wrote  a  letter  to  General  Butler  protesting 
against  interference  with  the  processes  and  orders  of  his 
court.  On  the  23d  of  this  month  Judge  Sneed  had  no  replj- ; 
so  this  is  the  act  and  order  of  General  Butler.  This  provost 
court  takes  cosTnizance  of  all  cases  of  drunkenness,  or  other 
violation  of  city  ordinances,  lias  the  party  arrested,  brought 
to  his  court,  fines  inflicted  and  paid  into  the  inoi'ost  mar- 
shal's  fund. 

I  was  informed  in  December  that  the  sale  of  liquor  by 
importers  into  I^^orfolk  was  going  to  be  made  a  monopol\^, 
and  only  a  few  were  going  to  be  allowed  to  sell.  I  heard 
more,  but  it  was  so  incredible  and  discreditable  that  I  could 
not  believe  it.  I  propose  now  to  give  you  a  few  cases, 
though  incredible  as  they  may  appear,  truth  requires  their 
publication. 


DAXIELS  &  ZAiS'TZmCER'S  CASE. 


This  firm  was  one  of  the  laro^est  in  J^orfolk  en^-ao^ed  in 
selling  groceries  and  liquors  and  wood.  About  the  first  of 
January  an  ofticer  called  at  their  store  and  asked  tliem  how 
much  liquor  they  had  in  the  store.  They  replied  about 
fifteen  barrels.  He  examined  the  loft  and  cellar  and  found 
their  statement  correct.  lie  then  asked  them  how  much 
they  had  in  the  shed.  They  told  him  he  could  go  and  see, 
and  directed  their  clerk  to  go  and  show  it  to  him.  He  went 
and  found  thirty-eight  barrels  there.  He  reported.  They. 
were  immediately  summoned  before  the  provost  court  on  a 
charge  of  fraudulently  concealing  from  the  ofiicers  of  the 
.  United  States  the  amount  of  whisky  on  hand  ;  and  it 
was  mentioned  in  the  charge,  by  way  of  recital,  that  the 
whisky  was  passed  into  the  department,  and  being  fraudu- 
lentl}^  retained,  to  the  prejudice  of  good  order  and  military 
discipline  in  the  department.  I  here  give  the  charge  and 
evidence  before  the  provost  court. 


'!>■ 


14 


United  States         "i 

vs.  yin  the  Provost  Court. 

Zaxtzixger  &  Daniels,  j 

Charge. 

FranduleDtlj  concealing  from  the  officer  of  tlie  United 
States  Government  an  amount  of  whisky  consisting  of  fifty- 
three  harrels,  being  an  amount  over  and  above  the  invoice 
given,  upon  due  demand,  to  the  lieutenant  of  the  provost 
guard  of  the  city  of  ]^orfolk.  The  said  whisky  being  fraud- 
ulently passed  into  the  department,  and  being  fraudulently 
retained  to  the  prejudice  of  good  order  and  military  disci- 
pline in  the  department.  This  at  IsTorfolk,  on  or  about  the 
1st  of  Januarv,  1864. 

Testimony. 

Lieutenant  Wood  being  duly  sworn,  says  :  About  the  1st 
of  January  last  I  was  commanding  provost  guard  ;  was 
ordered  to  go  and  get  an  inventory  of  the  liquor  of  Messrs. 
Zantzinger  &  Co. ;  asked  them  for  a  list  of  liquors  on  hand, 
and  they  gave  me  the  one  now  in  court.  There  are  some 
fourteen  or  fifteen  barrels  of  liquor  on  that  list  which  were 
in  the  store.  I  asked  Mr.  Daniels  if  there  was  any  liquor 
iu  that  shed  which  was  on  the  premises  near  the  house; 
he  told  me  I  might  go  in  and  look  for  myself;  went  in  with 
one  of  their  clerks  and  examined  ;  found  fifty-three  barrels 
of  whisky,  and  other  barrels  of  pork,  fish,  &c.  ;  the  whisky 
was  covered  over  with  hay  and  loose  hay  ;  Daniels  told  me 
he  did  not  intend  I  should  find  any  whisky,  as  he  did  not 
want  any  one  to  know  that  they  had  such  a  large  supply  on 
hand  ;  if  it  was  known  they  had  so  much  on  hand  they 
could  not  get  their  price  for  it ;  also,  said  the  whisky  had 
been  moved  from  the  store  house  and  put  into  the  shed 
because  the  foundation  of  the  store  was  weak  and  liable  to 
give  away  under  so  great  a  pressure  in  the  second  story, 
where  the  whisky  was :  he  said  it  was  covered  over  with 
hay  because  the  negroes  were  about  there  constantly  at 
work,  and  they  wished  to  conceal  it  from  them  ;  this  shed 
seemed  to  be  a  place  where  hay,  barrels  of  pork,  fish,  and 
many  other  things  were  kept. 

Sergeant  Holcombe,  being  duly  sworn,  says :  "Was  one  of 


15 

tliG  provost  guard  on  or  about  the  IjI  clay  of  January  last 
past ;  searched  tlie  shed  on  the  premises  near  the  store  of 
Zantzinger  &  Daniels  for  whisky  ;  found  a  large  number  of 
barrels  of  whisky  in  the  shed  covered  over  with  loose  hay 
and  hay  in  bales  ;  it  seemed  to  be  a  place  where  hay,  barrels 
of  whisky,  pork,  and  lish,  and  many  other  articles  were 
kept. 

'George  P.  Kncller,  being  duly  sworn  for  the  defense,  says: 
I  have  lived  in  ISTorfolk  many  years;  am  a  State  officer, 
inspector  of  provisions  ;  have  been  acquainted  with  the  bus- 
iness of  Zantzinger  &  Co.  for  a  number  of  years  ;  they  have 
always  been  large  dealers  in  liquors,  groceries,  lumber,  &c. ; 
they  had  a  very  large  supplj^of  liquor  at  the  time  the  rebels 
were  here,  and  about  the  time  they  left;  I  know  they  had 
several  hundred  barrels  of  whisky  on  their  premises;  a  short 
time  before  General  Viele  left  this  department  I  saw  four 
four-horse  Government  wagons  haul  two  loads  each  of  bar- 
rels of  whisky  from  the  custom  house  to  their  store,  pro- 
tected by  a  Government  guard  ;  this  liquor  was  some  that 
was  confiscated  and  purchased  of  the  Government  by  Zant- 
zinger &  Daniels. 

WlUiam  Knlghl,  he'mg  du]y  s^YOYn  for  the  defense,  says: 
for  a  little  more  than  than  six  months  last  past  I  have  been 
a  clerk  for  Zantzinger  k  Co.  When  I  came  there  they  had 
a  large  quantity  of  whisky  on  hand.  They  have  received 
no  whisky  from  any  source  since  I  have  been  living  with 
them.  If  they  had  received  any  since  I  have  been  with  them 
I  should  certainly  have  known  it,  as  I  am  cognizant  of  all 
their  business  matters.  I  have  not  been  employed  there  ex- 
cept in  the  day  time;  my  duties  have  not  kept  me  there  at 
night,  but  I  know  that  all  the  liquor  on  their  premises  was 
there  when  I  came  there  to  act  as  clerk.  They  built  the 
shed  to  relieve  the  foundation  of  the  store  of  too  much 
weight,  and  put  the  whisky  in  the  sbed  with  other  goods, 
as  soon  as  it  was  finished. 

Frank  Smith,  being  duly  sworn  for  the  defense,  says :  I 
have  been  in  the  employ  of  Messrs.  Zantzinger  &  Co.,  as 
night  watchman,  for  nearly  a  year  last  past ;  I  was  employed 
in  that  capacity  on  the  18th  of  February  last,  and  have  been 
so  engaged  ever  since ;  my  habit  has  been  to  go  on  duty 
when  they  close  business  for  the  da^-,  and  to  stay  all  night ; 
I  am  not  there  during  the  day  ;  ray  instructions  from  Mr. 
Zantzinger  were  not  to  allow  any  one  to  laud  liquor  at  their 
wharf  while  I  was  there  on  duty  ;  no  article  of  any  kind 
ever  came  to  their  premises  at  night  while  I  acted  as  watch- 


IG 

man — liquor  or  anytliing  else,  except  npou  one  occasion. 
One  niofht  some  sailors  from  a  schooner  Ivinoj  in  the  stream, 
came  ashore  there  with  a  lot  of  whisky,  as  they  said,  in 
bottles.  They  got  ashore  there  before  I  saw  them,  and  were 
passing  throngh  the  yard  towards  Wide  Water  street,  when 
I  hailed  them  :  they  begged  me  to  let  them  pass  throngh.  I 
told  them  to  get  away  from  the  store  as  soon  as  possible, 
which  they  did  ;  neither  Zantzinger  or  Daniels  knew  any- 
thing of  the  matter;  Zantzinger  told  me  if  I  allowed  any 
one  to  land  liqnor  there  he  would  shoot  me.  They  paid  me 
forty-five  dollars  per  month  which  I  was  anxious  to  receive 
for  the  support  of  my  family,  and  I  obeyed  their  instructions 
very  strictly  so  as  to  keep  my  place. 

Lieutenant  SeicalL  beino;  dulv  sworn,  savs :  I  am  in  the 
revenue  service.  ^Tv  dutv  for  a  Ions:  time  has  been  to  ex- 
amine  vessels  and  cargoes  bound  to  Xorfolk.  I  have  been 
very  strict  and  as  active  as  possible  in  searching  vessels  for 
contraband  goods.  I  have  suspected  vessels  consigned  to 
Zantzin£:er  &  Co.,  with  havinsr  contraband  o-oods  concealed 
on  board,  but  upon  diligent  search  and  inquiry  have  always 
found  myself  mistaken.  Some  ten  months  ago,  Mr.  Dan- 
iels remarked  to  me,  in  speaking  upon  the  subject  of  smug- 
gling whisky,  they  had  no  motive  for  being  engaged  in 
such  practices,  inasmuch  as  they  had  more  whisky  then  on 
hand  than  they  could  dispose  of.  At  his  request,  I  went  up 
stairs  to  look  at  what  they  had.  I  saw  a  very  large  quantity, 
in  barrels,  marked  "cider  vinegar,"  at  least  those  I  saw  were 
so  marked.  I  think  at  the  lowest  calculation,  there  was  one 
hundred  barrels,  and  I  should  not  be  surprised  if  what  Mr. 
Daniels  stated  at  the  time  was  correct,  they  had  three  hun- 
dren  barrels  then  on  hand.  I  have  examined  the  barrels  of 
whiskv  found  in  Zantzinofer  &  Go's  shed  covered  with  hav. 
It  is  my  deliberate  opinion,  founded  upon  strict  inquiry, 
that  the  whisky  found  there  is  no  part  of  that  brought  to 
Xorfolk  by  the  brigantine  "Judge  Hathaway,"  concealed 
under  the  coal,  supposing  the"  Judge  Hathaway"  did  actu- 
ally bring  any  to  Norfolk.  I  felt  quite  certain  at  one  time 
that  the  b'lngantine  had  brought  smuggled  liquor  to  Xorfolk, 
and  that  Zantzinger  &  Co.  received  it;  but  I  have  had  rea- 
sons to  change  niy  mind  on  that  subject.  Col.  Whelden, 
the  provost  mar^shal,  aided  me  m  making  inquiries  into  the 
matter,  and  we  both  came  to  the  conclusion  that  Zantzin- 
ger <fc  Daniels  were  not  implicated  in  the  matter  of  any 
tiquor  brought  in  the  "Judge  Hathaway,"  if  any  was 
brouf>'ht,  which  seems  doubtful.     I  want  it  understood,  that 


17 

in  all  the  action  I  have  taken  in  this  investioratiou,  mv  feel- 
iugs  have  been  enlisted  in  behalf  of  the  Government,  bv 
whom  I  am  employed,  and  that  I  have  not  been  and  am  not 
influenced  in  the  least  by  any  friendship  for  Zantzinger  k 
Co.  On  the  other  hand,  I  have  not  sought  to  injure  them 
any  more  than  my  duty  might  require  me  to  do  so. 

TV.  17.  TT7??(/,  being  dul}^  sworn,  says  :  I  am  the  post- 
master at  ISTorfolk.  Have  known  Zantziu2:er  &  Daniels 
many  years.  Some  two  or  three  months  a2:o,  the  time  not 
very  certain,  I  was  at  their  store.  Daniels  remarked  to  me 
that  he  had  been  very  busy  all  the  morning  removing 
whisk}^  from  up  stairs.  lie  said  that  it  was  too  heavy  to  be 
on  the  second  floor,  which  was  weak,  and  he  had  removed 
it  to  the  shed.  I  saw  them  moving  quite  a  number  of 
barrels  into  the  shed.  I  told  Daniels  that  some  one  would 
steal  all  the  whisky  out  of  the  shed,  as  all  that  was  neces- 
sary was  to  take  ofl"  a  few  boards  and  go  in.  lie  said  he 
reckoned  there  was  no  danger,  as  it  would  be  covered  over 
with  the  hay,  and  there  was  a  watchman  about  the  premises 
all  night.  I  know  that  Zantzinger  k  Co.  have  had  a  good 
deal  of  liquor  on  hand  for  a  long  time.  At  the  time  of,  and 
since  the  evacuation  of  the  city  bj-  the  confederates,  they  had 
quite  a  large  quantity  on  hand. 

— Clark,  being  duly  sworn,   says :  I  have  been 

one  of  the  wharf  guards  ever  since  the  troops  came  to  Xor- 
folk.  A  large  part  of  the  time  I  have  been  on  guard  at 
Zantzinger's  wharf.  Nothing  was  ever  brought  there  at 
nio^ht  to  mv  knowledo^e,  nor  have  I  ever  heard  of  anvthins: 
beinc:  brou2:ht  there  at  ni^'ht.  I  do  not  think  any  contra- 
band  goods  could  have  been  landed  there  at  night  without 
my  hearing  or  seeing  something  of  it.  Such  matters  have 
alwaj's  been  mentioned  by  the  members  of  the  guard  to  each 
other,  and  I  should  probably  have  known  in  some  way  that 
contraband  goods  had  been  landed  there,  if  such  had  really 
been  the  case. 

Mr.  Dunn  :  1  am  U.  S.  Collector ;  the  license  shown  me 
is  one  issued  from  mv  ofiice  to  Messrs.  Zantzinsrer  k  Co.;  it 
was  issued  the  21st  of  August,  18G3;  the}-  told  me  at  the 
time  they  had  a  large  supply  of  liquor  on  hand ;  they  were 
open  and  candid  in  regard  to  their  having  large  quantities 
of  lic[uor;  they  made  no  eftbrt  at  concealment. 

Col.  Dulaiwj:  I  have  bought  a  good  deal  of  liquor  of 
Messrs.  Zantzinger  k  Co.  within  the  last  four  or  five  months  ; 
they  have  always  stated  to  me  that  they  had   large  quanti- 

^      2P 


18 

ties  on  hand;  they  sold  it  publicly,  and  apparently  did  not 
care  who  knew  they  had  it.  [Col.  JDulaney  is  in  the  regular 
army  of  the  United  States.] 

Oqyt.  Croft:  Have  talked  with  Messrs.  Zantzinger  &  Co. 
about  their  having  liquor  for  sale;  asked  them  if  they  sold 
to  soldiers;  they  said  they  never  did;  said  they  had  a  large 
amount  on  hand;  there  was  no  sign  of  concealment. 

Mr.  Allatt:  This  January  one  year  ago,  was  in  the  store  of 
Zantziuger  k  Co.,  saw  a  great  mauy  barrels  marked  "  cider 
vinegar."  Daniels  drew  whisky  from  barrels  among  the 
lot  and  handed  me  a  drink;  there  must  have  been  some 
seventy  or  eighty  barrels,  marked  "cider  vinegar,"  which  I 
understood  to  be  filled  with  whisky. 

Captain  Drummond :  At  the  time  of  the  evacuation  of 
Norfolk  I  remember  that  Zantzinger  k  Daniels  had  quite  a 
large  quantity  of  liquor  on  hand;  I  think  I  saw  some  two 
hundred  barrels  in  their  store,  some  up  stairs,  some  down. 

Lieutenant  Wood  (recalled):  When  I  called  at  Messrs. 
Zantzinger  k  Co.'s  store,  I  asked  them,  as  I  remember,  what 
liquors  they  had  in  their  store.  They  gave  me  an  inventory 
which  I  think  is  correct.  I  then  asked  them  what  they  had 
in  the  shed.  Daniels  replied,  "go  in  there  and  see  for  your- 
self." They  sent  a  clerk  in  with  me.  They  did  not  say 
they  had  no  liquor  in  the  shed;  they  said  nothing  about  the 
licjuors  in  the  shed  till  I  found  it,  except  "go  in  and  exam- 
ine for  yourself."  The  first  barrel  I  found  under  the  hay  I 
asked  the  clerk  what  it  was;  he  said  it  was  whisky. 

The  testimony  closed  here.  One  hour  was  required  for 
consultation;  verdict  at  the  end  of  the  hour:  Fine  one 
thousand  dollars,  whisky  confiscated.  It  was  sold  at  auction 
on  the  public  streets  of  Norfolk,  about  the  20tli  of  January, 
for  upwards  of  §14,000.  Yes,  Isaj-,  fourteen  thousand  dollars. 
l!S^ow,  I  ask  the  impartial  judgment  of  any  man  living,  on 
that  testimou}^,  after  they  had  paid  their  city,  State,  and 
United  States  license,  what  is  there  in  the  case  toinfiict  this 
punishment  ?  AYhat  military  order  was  pretended  to  be  vio- 
lated ?  But,  you  will  mark,  it  was  publicly  known  they 
had  liquor  in  the  shed;  the  oflicer  knew  it.  He  seems  to 
be  playing  sharp;  asks  them  "how  much  they  had  in  the 
store?''  They  answered  correctly.  "How  much  in  the 
shed?"  "  Go  and  see;  clerk,  go  with  them."  AYere  they 
criminal  in  having  it  to  the  predjudice  of  good  order  and 


/ 


19 

military  discipline?   Was  it  smuggled?   Look  to  the  record. 
With  the  verdict  the  following  order  was  issued: 

Headquarters  Provost  Marshal's  Office, 
District  of  Virginia,  Norfolk,  Va.,  January  16, 18G4. 

Messrs.  Zantzinger  &  Co. : 

I  am  ordered  to  instruct  3'ou  that  you  will  he  allowed  to 
sell  your  stock  of  goods  now^  on  hand,  hut  you  will  not  he 
allowed  to  increase  your  stock  hy  purchase  or  otherwise,  hut 
will  sell  out  with  a  view  to  closing  husiness. 

Signed,  CIIAS.  M.  WHELDEN", 

IJ.  Col.  and  Provost  Marshal,  Dist.  Va, 

Bnt  the  animus  of  General  Butler  can  only  he  seen  hy 
connecting  this  case  with 

HODGmS'S  CASE. 

In  ]^ovemher,  1863,  Ilodgins  bought  a  stock  of  hardware 
of  a  man  hy  the  name  of  Hartshorn,  who  was  trustee  for  an 
old  firm  which  failed  hefore  the  rebellion.  The  hardware 
was  in  a  storehouse  belonging  to  William  E.  Taylor,  who 
was  in  the  rebel  army.  Mrs.  Ta^dor,  his  w^ife,  resided  iu 
Norfolk.  Hartshorn  had  rented  the  house  from  her.  Hod- 
gins  continued  to  occupy  the  house  at  fifty  dollars  per  month, 
and  paid  her  that  sum  for  the  month  of  December.  Some- 
time in  December  Major  Moss,  the  agent  of  the  Treasury 
Department  to  collect  and  take  care  of  abandoned  propert}", 
called  on  Hodgins  and  told  him  he  would  probably  have  to 
pay  the  rent  to  the  United  States  Government.  Hodgins 
replied  that  he  w^as  willing  to  pay  anybody  that  was  entitled; 
that  he  had  paid  that  month  to  Mrs.  Taylor  in  advance,  as 
she  was  needy.  Major  Moss  took  Ilodgins's  name  and  left. 
Between  the  15th  and  20th  of  January,  Major  Moss  called 
on  Hodgins  and  told  him  he  had  received  instructions  from 
headquarters  that  the  house  he  occupied  was  needed  for  mil- 
itary purposes,  and  he  would  have  to  leave.  Hodgins  used 
all  the  argnment  he  could  against  leaving;  that  he  had  put 
repairs  on  the  storehouse,  that  he  was  not  able  to  move,  and 
that  it  would  cost  a  large  amount  to  fit  up  another  house. 
Major  Moss  called  a  second  time,  and  the  order  was  peremp- 
tory. The  young  man  left;  had  to  pa^^  a  Jew  $300  for  the 
key  of  another  house  ;  to  fix  shelving  at  a  cost  of  $180,  and 
remove  ten  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  small  hardware.    The 


20 

Lonsc  Hodgins  was  ordered  to  leave  was  the  best  and  most 
elia'ible  business  Lonse  in  the  citv,  on  Main,  at  tbe  bead  of 
Market  street.  Hodgins  got  into  bis  new  bouse  about  tbe 
9tli  of  February.  The  day  lie  left,  tbe  Taylor  bouse  com- 
menced being  litted  up  for  a  liquor  store,  and  in  a  few  days 
it  was  occupied  by  a  firm  from  Boston,  witb  some  §25,000 
wortb  of  liquors  of  all  kinds,  and  groceries.  About  the 
same  time  anotber  iirm  from  Boston  and  another  from  Low- 
ell, Massachusetts,  came  in  witb  large  assortments  of  liquors, 
so  that  I  am  safe  in  savins:  that  in  thirtv  davs  from  tbe  time 
Zantzinger  &  Daniels's  whiskey  was  sold,  there  were  §75,000 
worth  of  liquor  in  Xorfolk,  in  the  bands  of  Bostonians,  when 
a  native  of  Virginia,  or  any  other  State,  could  not  get  a 
]Dermit  for  one  gallon. 

Put  the  charo'c  aic^^iinst  Zantzino-er  &  Daniels  with  the 
order  to  remove  Hodsrins  out  of  the  bouse  too^ether,  and  it 
only  proves  a  fixed  determination  to  close  tliem  up,  break 
them  up,  put  §15,000  into  the  provost  marshal's  fund, 
and  make  a  clear  track  for  these  Boston  men  to  monopolize 
tbe  whole  business ;  and  Major  Moss  says  be  talked  with 
General  Butler  about  requiring  Hodgins  to  remove,  and  tne 
General  pressed  bis  removal,  but  did  not  give  an  actual  order. 
Hodgins  went  to  the  provost  marshal  and  tried  to  get  him 
to  interfere.  He  asked  Hod^rins  if  he  had  a  written  contract 
Avith  Major  Moss  for  the  house;  he  said,  no.  He  then  said 
be  could  do  nothing. 

Zantzinger  is  the  brother-in-law  of  Commodore  Farragut 
and  a  member  of  the  loyal  Legislature  of  Virginia.  Daniels 
is  a  \oy'd\  business  man.  Hodgins  was  in  the  confederate 
army,  but  left  it  at  an  early  day,  came  home,  took  the  oath, 
and  has  behaved  himself  and  claims  to  be  a  loyal  man. 

G.  ^y.  SIXGLETOX'S  CASE. 

G.  AV.  Singleton  was  a  resident  of  Xansemond  county; 
v»^as  made  postmaster  on  the  16th  day  of  April,  1801,  when 
no  other  man  would  take  the  place  under  Mr.  Lincoln  ;  had 
two  stores,  a  farm,  and  seven  slaves.  AVhen  the  Union  army 
took  Suiiolk,  he  was  the  first  man  in  the  countv  who  went 
forward  immediately  and  took  the  oath  ;  moved  both  stores 
together  into  Sufiblk;  bad  bis  dwelling,  storehouse,  and 
t\A-elve  other  small  bouses  on  the  bank  of  tbe  river.  When 
Longstreet  attacked  Suiiblk  last  spring,  the  Union  batteries 
were  erected  in  Town  Square,  back  of  Singleton's  houses. 
His  storehouse  was  blown  up  and   his  dwelling  and  other 


21 


houses  were  torn  down  lest  tliey  should  take  fire][  and  pre- 
vent the  workino;  of  the  batteries.     Sins^leton  was  sent  to 
the   mouth   of  the  river,   and  piloted  the  magazine  boat 
from  the  James  river  to  Suffolk.     He  went  back  as^ain  and 
piloted  up  a  gun  boat.    When  the  gun  boat  got  opposite  his 
farm  they  were  attacked   by  the   rebels,  who   occupied   the 
farm.     Singleton  told  the  Union  men  to  spare  nothing;  he 
liad  there  500  bushels  of  corn  in   the  crib,  8000  pounds  of 
bacon  smoked  in  his  smoke  house,  with  all  the  other  articles 
a  thrifty  farmer  would  have  around  him.  It  was  all  destroyed  ; 
not  a  dollar's  worth  of  buildings,  fences,  corn,  bacon,  house, 
or  anything  else  was  left.    After  the  rebels  vs^ere  repulsed  he 
took  his  wife  and  children,  and  83,500  in  money,  which  was 
all  he  had  left  out  of  an  estate  of  $40,000,  and  went  to  Xorfolk. 
His  money  was  runnino;  down,  his  eldest  daus^hter  readv  to 
2:0  to  school,  and  somethins:  must  be  done.     When  he  saw 
Daniels  &  Zantzinger's  liquor  was  to  be  sold  in  ^Norfolk,  it 
was  natural  to  suppose  the  purchasers  would  be  permitted 
to  resell,  so  he  purchased  ten   barrels,  for  which   he  paid 
§3,325,  bought  some  groceries,  and  in  the  course  of  eight 
or  ten   days,  opened  a  store,  having  paid  State,  city,  and 
United  States  license.     About  seven   days  after   he  com- 
menced  selling'   General  Butler's  famous  order  Xo.  19  came 
out,  requiring  all  grocery  and  liquor  dealers  to  obtain  a  per- 
mit therefor  at  his    headquarters.     Singleton  immediatel}' 
went   to    Fort   ^Monroe   -svith    Governor   Cowper.     Cowper 
stated   Singleton's    case   to    Colonel   Shafer,    chief-of-staff. 
Colonel  Shafer  immediately  gave  an  order  to  Captain  Cassell, 
provost  marshal,  to  grant  Singleton  a  permit  to  sell  groceries 
and  liquors.     Singleton   returned  to  Xorfolk,  and  in  a  few 
days,  as  his  stock  was  running  down,  he  made  out  a  requisi- 
tion for  permission   to   bring   from  Baltimore  liquors  and 
groceries.     General  Wild  signed  it.     He  took  it  to  Captain 
Cassell  at  Fort  Monroe  to  get  it  approved  ;  handed  it  to  Cas- 
sel,  who  pitched  it  into  a  pigeon  hole.     Singleton  requested 
him  to  sic^n  it;  Cassel  refused,  savins^  that  Sins^leton  had  no 
permit.     Singleton  assured  him  that  he  had.     Cassell  asked 
to  see  it;  Singleton  handed  it  to  him.    He  said  it  was  a  mis- 
take; it  was  intended  for  a  permit  to  keep  an  eating  house. 
Singleton  asked  him  to  look  at  Colonel  Shafer's  order;  Cap- 
tain Cassell  said  he  did  not  know  anvthinsr  about  Shafer's 
order;  he  would   have  to  wait   until    Colonel  Shafer  came 
home;  he  would  be  back  perhaps  next  week,  or  the  week 
after,  or  ma}-  be  not  at  all.     So   Singleton  went  to  General 
Butler  and  stated  his  case.     General  Butler  said  he  would 


22 

have  to  \Yait  until  Capfaln  Cassell  reported  the  case  to  him. 
But  Singleton  attempted  to  urge  the  matter,  and  General 
Butler  replied,  "you  want  to  force  me,  do  you.  ISTow,  the 
less  you  say  the  better."  So  poor  Singleton  had  to  leave, 
his  permit  taken  from  him,  and  there  he  is,  with  the  residue 
of  his  whisky  on  hand — no  permit  to  sell. 

ATM.  R.  JOXES'S  CASE. 

Mr.  Jones  has  resided  in  jSTorfolk  for  twenty  years;  was  a 
prosperous  man,  engaged  in  grocery  and  liquor  business. 
At  connnencement  of  the  rebellion  was  worth  perhaps 
§40,000,  partly  invested  in  State  and  bank  stocks,  and  other- 
wise where  it  is  mostly  unproductive;  is  a  truly  loyal  man. 
He  made  application  for  a  permit  to  bring  in  liquors,  and 
W'as  informed  by  Provost  Marshal  Whelden  that  applications 
must  be  made  directly  to  General  Butler  by  letter.  He 
went  in  a  few  days  to  see  about  it,  and  was  informed  by 
Capt.  Cassell  that  the  permit  was  not  granted.  He  went  on 
to  Baltimore  and  called  on  his  return  and  inquired  again. 
He  was  informed  by  same  party  that  no  more  permits  would 
be  granted.  Jones  asked  reason.  The  reply  was  General 
Butler  would  take  the  responsibility,  and  that  was  the  end 
of  it. 


A  NAMELESS  CASE. 

A  sedate,  quiet,  honest  gentleman,  resident  in  a  cit}^  lam 
not  permitted  to  name,  was  informed  that  by  going  to 
another  city  I  am  not  permitted  to  name,  and  inquire  at  a 
certain  place,  he  would  find  a  man,  and  by  paying  him  he 
could  get  a  permit  to  sell  liquor  and  groceries  in  ]^orfolk. 
He  went,  found  the  man,  and  asked  for  a  permit.  The 
reply  was,  "How  much  can  you  pay?"  Answered,  "ISTot 
one  dollar."  "You  can't  have  the  permit."  He  left,  got 
letters  of  o'ood  standinfr  as  to  character  and  lovaltv,  and 
took   them    to   General  Butler.     The    General   asked   him 

where  he  lived.     "In ."     "  But,"  says  the  General, 

"lam  giving  these  permits  to  natives  in  i^orfolk,  to  en- 
courage them."  "Well,"  says  my  friend,  "I  am  a  native 
of  iTorfolk:  only  left  there  a  few  years  ago,  and  want  to  go 
back  again."  "Well,"  said  the  General,  "Colonel  Shafer, 
m}^  chief- of-stafF,  who  attends  to  this  business,  is  absent  at 
present,  and  when  he  returns  your  case  shall  receive  first 
consideration."     The  poor  man  waited  ten  days,  saw  three 


23 

new  liquor  and  grocery  firms  open  up  after  he  made  his 
application,  and  called  on  General  Butler  again,  who  very 
politely  informed  him  that  Colonel  Shafer,  his  chief-of- staff 
had  not  yet  returned. 

One  man  in  Norfolk,  who  has  been  there  two  or  three 
years  has  a  permit,,  and  says  he  got  it  in  such  a  disgrace- 
ful way  that  he  is  ashamed  to  tell  how  he  got  it.  Another 
who  was  known  to  have  money,  was  accosted  one  day  very 
politely,  I  believe,  by  a  gent  in  uniform,  and  asked  how 
much  he  would  give  to  be  shown  parties  who  had  one  of 
those  exclusive  permits  from  whom  he  could  get  one  third 
interest  in  the  firm.  He  replied,  "I  w^illgive  two  thousand 
five  hundred  dollars  to  the  party  showing  me  the  men,  and 
put  ten  thousand  dollars  capital  into  the  concern."  The 
middleman  replied,  "I  will  see  you  to-morrow."  So  on  the 
morrow  the  papers  were  all  signed,  and  the  two  thousand 
five  hundred  dollars  given. 

The  liquor  business  now  stands  thus  in  Norfolk.  A  few 
men  from  Boston  and  Lowell,  Mass.,  have  the  exclusive 
monopoly  of  importing  it  into  the  city.  All  the  hotels  and 
restaurants  are  open  to  retail,  but  not  at  the  bars.  They 
have  shelves  in  a  room  and  tables  set  around.  You  must 
take  a  seat  at  the  table  as  if  eating  ;  the  liquor  is  furnished  ; 
you  pay  twentj'-tive  cents  per  drink — two  dollars  for  a  bottle 
holding  tliree  half  pints  of  common  whisky,  and  three  dol- 
lars for  a  bottle  of  good.  The  restaurant  keepers  pa}^  these 
Boston  men  three  dollars  per  gallon  for  whisky  that  costs  in 
Baltimore  from  ninety-five  to  one  hundred  and  five  cents, 
and  nine  dollars  per  gallon  for  whisky  that  costs  two  dollars 
and  a  half  to  three  dollars  per  gallon.  The  poor  oyster  men 
must  have  whisky,  they  think  ;  some  citizens  must  have,  and 
all  the  ofiicers  and  many  soldiers  will  have,  let  the  cost  be 
what  it  will. 

THE  GAS  .WORKS. 

I  think  all  the  holders  of  gas  stock  in  Norfolk  were  dis- 
loyal. About  the  first  of  July  last  they  stopped  making 
gas  ;  coal  run  out,  and  the  officers  would  not  take  the  oath 
of  allegiance  in  order  to  get  permits  to  ship  more.  They 
continued  closed  until  December,  when  General  Butler 
issued  his  order  that  all  the  residents  in  his  district  should 
take  the  oath  prescribed  in  the  President's  amnesty  procla- 
mation. In  the  order  it  was  stated  that  every  person  "  to 
have  his  rights  in  any  way  protected  must  take  and  subscribe 


24 

the  oath,"  &c.  The  proposition  is  here  plainly  inferrahle 
that  if  they  do  take  and  subscribe  this  oath,  their  rights  of 
property  shall  be  protected.  On  the  issuing  of  the  order 
the  president  and  directors,  and  all  the  stockholders  (except 
those  in  rebellion)  went  forward  and  took  and  subscribed 
the  oath,  and  made  immediate  preparation  to  start  the  gas 
works,  but  they  were  stopped.  General  Butler  seized  the 
whole  concern  and  put  them  into  operation  himself,  al- 
though the  president  of  the  company  assured  him  that  he 
could  start  them  in  a  few  daj's,  and  would  supply  all  the  gas 
needed.  Yet  General  Butler  sent  to  Lowell  for  a  man  and 
fixtures  to  repair  at  a  cost  of  ten  thousand  dollars,  and  has 
now  the  works  in  operation,  furnishing  gas  to  the  city  on 
account  of  somebody,  I  don't  know  whom.  I  suppose  the 
profits  go  into  the  provost  marshal's  fund.  He  sells  the  gas 
at  nearly  double  the  price  paid  in  Washington. 

In  the  safe  there  were  upwards  of  thirteen  hundred  dol- 
lars, which  Dr.  Cook,  the  president,  desired  to  take  out, 
but  was  prohibited  and  asked  to  leave  it  there  a  few  days, 
and  assured  that  he  should  have  it.  But  he  has  not  been 
able  to  get  one  cent  of  it. 

^ow,  I  grant  all  these  people  owning  the  gas  works  were 
dislo3'al.  Yet  they  were  in  effect  assured  by  this  order  that 
if  they  took  the  oath  prescribed  they  should  be  protected  in 
their  rights.  They  took  the  oath,  and  desired  to  manufac- 
ture their  gas.  What  possible  plausibility  had  Gen.  Butler 
for  seizing  their  gas  works  and  their  money  and  appropriat- 
ing them  ?  Is  the  making  of  gas  a  part  of  the  suppressing 
of  the  rebellion  ?  The  fact  is,  a  large  amount  of  the  stock- 
holders are  widows,  old  maids,  and  orphans — all  their  sub- 
sistence is  taken  from  them  in  one  way  and  another.  Many 
of  them  were  slave  owners;  their  slaves  are  all  gone,  and  in 
the  language  of  Dr.  Cook,  one  of  their  own  number,  they 
are  only  respectable  vagabonds,  and  must,  many  of  them  who 
once  were  wealthy,  soon  becolne  objects  of  charity.  Then 
why  not  live  up  to  the  bond  we  made  with  them — take  the 
oath  and  your  rights  shall  be  respected?  They  took  the 
oath;  their  gas  works  and  money  were  immediatelj' taken 
from  them.  This,  I  say,  with  all  due  deference,  is  not  the 
way  to  put  down  the  rebellion. 

MRS.  TATEM'S  CASE. 

Sometime  in  January,  Gen.  Butler  issued  an  order  ap- 
pointing three  commissioners  to  examine  into  the  condition 


i 


25 

of  tlie  savings  banks  of  !^orfolk  and  Portsmouth,  under  the 
plea  that  the  money  of  the  poor  of  the  city  had  been  depos- 
ited tliere,  and  tliat  the  officers  had  used  it  and  would  not 
pay  the  depositors.  It  was  believed  by  those  who  had  some 
opportunity  to  know,  that  the  money  had  been  sent  to  Rich- 
mond Ions:  ao'O.  So  it  turned  out.  But  Mrs.  Tatem,  a 
'widow  lady,  had  two  silver  cake  baskets  and  some  other 
pieces  of  silver,  belonging  to  her  daugliter  in  Europe,  and 
when  the  rebel  army  first  came  there  in  1861,  one  of  her 
daughters  took  the  silver,  placed  some  napkins  around  it, 
and  put  it  in  a  box  and  placed  it  in  the  vault  of  the  savings 
bank  in  Portsmouth.  It  remained  there  until  Gen.  Butler's 
commissioners  went  there.  Mrs.  Tatem  called  on  them 
and  asked  them  for  the  silver,  but  she  could  not  get  it.  They 
treated  her  politely.  She  called  on  the  provost  marshal. 
He  referred  her  to  somebody  else,  who  referred  her  back 
to  the  commissioners,  who  still  refuse  to  give  up  the  silver. 
So  the  silver  baskets  are  gone;  she  has  not  been  able  to  get 
them.  I  heard  the  story  in  I^orfolk;  it  looked  impossible. 
I  went  to  Portsmouth  and  called  at  Mrs.  Tatem's.  Slie  was 
not  at  home,  but  her  daughter,  a  modest  young  lady  of  per- 
haps seventeen  or  eighteen  years,  politely  asked  me  into  the 
parlor,  and  said  perhaps  she  could  answer  for  her  mamma. 
I  told  her  my  business  ;  she  told  me  that  she  placed  the  silver 
in  the  safe  herself,  and  gave  the  facts  substantially  as  above. 
She  remarked :  "  We  have  all  taken  the  oath  to  the  United 
States,  I  have  three  brothers,  none  of  them  went  into  the 
rebel  army,  and  we  are  trying  to  be  good  citizens,"  and  she 
added,  "  but,  sir,  we  have  not  written  to  sister  what  has 
become  of  her  silver,  we  are  ashamed  to  let  il  be  known  in 
Europe  that  our  Government  is  treating  us  so  badly."  Gen- 
tlemen, upon  hearing  this,  my  heart  filled.  I  had  a  new 
hope  for  my  country  and  the  Bepublic.  Pure  woman,  God 
bless  her,  she  governs  the  world,  and  when  she  makes  her 
allegiance,  whether  to  her  husband  or  her  country,  she  will 
die  before  she  will  expose  the  shame  of  her  liege. 

MR.  BILISOLLY 

Resided  in  Portsmouth.  Some  of  the  neij2:hborine:  women 
took  some  silver  to  his  house,  and  put  it  in  the  possession 
of  the  female  members  of  his  family,  without  his  knowl- 
edge. The  old  man  is  about  seventy  years  of  age,  and  was 
a  director  of  the  savings  bank.  He  was  summoned  before 
General  Butler,  and  interrogated  as  to  this  silver.      The  old 


26 

man  knew  nothing;  of  it,  and  so  replied.  General  Butler 
told  him  he  was  a  liar,  and  he  would  put  him  in  Fort  Xor- 
folk  on  bread  and  water  until  he  learned  to  tell  the  truth. 
The  old  man  replied,  "  Sir,  I  am  your  prisoner,  or  you  should 
not  address  me  thus."  The  old  man  was  put  into  the  fort 
without  a  blanket,  on  the  cold  floor,  and  is  still  there.  I 
received  a  letter  from  one  of  his  daughters,  a  good  Union 
woman,  in  which  she  says  :  '^  M3'  dear  mother  sent  to  Fort 
Monroe  a  nice  new  cotton  mattress,  a  pair  of  blankets,  one 
comforter,  one  pair  of  sheets,  and  one  pillow,  which  were  never 
delivered  to  father."  At  the  time  Bilisolly  was  arrested, 
they  found  in  his  house,  deposited  as  above  stated,  in  one 
bundle,  a  large  soup  ladle,  two  silver  mugs,  two  pairs  of  su- 
gar tongs,  half  a  dozen  old  fashioned  table  spoons,  with 
other  table  spoons  and  tea  spoons;  and  one  other  bundle, 
somewhat  larger,  consisting  of  twenty-seven  pieces,  from 
soup  ladle  to  salt  spoon. 

Bilisolh'  is  an  eccentric  man  ;  he  laid  in  liquors  at  the 
birth  of  his  children,  as  well  as  at  their  wedding.  When 
his  youngest  daughter  was  born,  now  twenty  years  ago,  he 
had  a  surplus  of  one  dozen  bottles  of  wine  and  eight  bottles 
of  brandy,  which  he  corked  up  and  laid  aside,  to  break  when 
she  married.  But  the  wine  and  brandy  went  with  the 
silver,  and,  I  suppose,  if  not  since  separated,  have  gone  into 
the  provost  marshaVs  fund  together. 

I  desire  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  public  have 
been  fully  informed  of  General  Butler's  prompt  and  even 
severe  dealing  with  the  officers  of  the  savings  bank,  and 
the  sending  of  them  to  Fort  Hatteras  and  Xorfolk ;  of  the 
seizure  of  the  gas  works  and  running  it  on  his  own  account, 
but  they  have  never  heard  one  word  about  what  became  of 
the  silver  in  Bilisolly's  house,  Mrs.  Tatem's  silver  baskets, 
or  the  thirteen  hundred  dollars  in  the  safe  in  the  gas  works. 

NEWSPAPERS   AXD   MAGAZINES. 

In  Februarv,  General  Butler  issued  an  order  askins:  for 
bids  until  the  lirst  of  March,  for  the  privilege  of  furnishing 
newspapers  and  periodicals  in  his  district,  by  the  month, 
promising  to  award  the  monopoly  to  the  "  successful  bidder, 
not  to  the  highest.  An  old  Jew  by  the  name  of  Bohn  was 
the  successful  bidder,  at  the  price  of  $600  per  month.  All 
other  dealers  were  closed  up,  among  whom  were  Mahew  & 
Brother,  who  had  a  news  store  in  Norfolk,  had  paid  a  license 
to  the  city,  State,  and  United  States  Governments,  and  were 


27 

doing  a  fuir  business.  They  supposed  tlie  order  did  not  re- 
fer to  ]N"orfolk,  and  as  they  had  paid  their  internal  revenue 
license,  they  continued  their  business.  Soon,  however, 
they  were  summoned  to  Old  Point  before  Captain  Cassell. 
When  they  got  there,  Cassell  asked  them  if  they  took  the 
papers.  They  replied,  "We  do."  Said  he,  "Do  you  read 
them  ?  "  Eeply,  "  We  do."  "Then,"  said  he,  "do  you  un- 
derstand what  you  read?  "  Answer,  "We  do,  or  suppose  we 
do."  Said  he,  "  Do  yon  live  in  IS^rfolk  ?  "  "  Yes."  "  Did 
you  see  the  order  awarding  the  privilege  of  supplying  this 
district  with  papers  and  magazines  to  Mr.  Bohn  ?  "  They 
answered,  "We  did."  "Well,"  said  he,  "that  order  was 
issued  b}^  command  of  General  Butler,  and  if  you  persist 
in  bringing  papers  into  this  department,  I  will  use  all  my 
influence  to  have  you  punished."  Thus,  American  citizens 
from  Pennsylvania,  who  have  resided  in  Norfolk  near  two 
years,  are  cut  off  from  business.  They  paid  the  United 
States  Government  $18  45  for  internal  revenue  license  alone, 
with  a  solemn  undertaking  on  the  part  of  the  Government 
to  protect  them  in  their  business.  And  this  in  addition  to 
what  they  would  pay  on  income;  but  the  income  lias  gone 
into  the  inovost  marked' s  fund. 

THE  DOGS. 

It  was  supposed  that  all  the  sources  whence  money  could 
be  derived  were  exhausted.  But  a  happy  thought  occurred 
as  deep  contemplation  occupied  the  mind  of  the  soldier; 
not  like  that  which  absorbed  Alexander  wdien  he  wept  be- 
cause there  was  not  another  world  to  conquer,  but  "  where 
was  more  money  ?  "  The  Dogs  !  happy  thought-;  dogs  occupy 
a  tender  place  in  the  affections  of  the  old  and  young  and 
middle  aged,  and  there  is  a  good  supply  in  the  two  cities 
from  the  poodle  to  the  butcher's  bull  dog.  So  the  follow- 
ing order  was  issued,  verbatim: 

Headquarters,  N'orfolk  and  Portsmouth, 

Norfolk,  Va.,  Jlarch  7,  18G4. 
General  Order,  No.  6. 

Let  every  fourth  dog  in  the  district  be  killed.  The  Pro- 
vost Marshals  of  Norfolk  and  Portsmouth  will  see  this  order 
executed.     By  command  of  Brigadier  General  E.  A.  Wild. 

GEORGE  H.  JOHNSON, 
Capt.  and  Assistant  Adjutant  GencraL 
Charles  E.  Whelden, 

Lieut.  Col.  and  Provost  Ilarshal. 


28 

This  decree  was  verv  sfeneral,  not  like  that  of  Herod's  in 
regard  to  children.  But  every  fourth  dog,  generally,  with- 
out reference  to  age,  sex,  or  condition.  Tins  order  produced 
great  sensation  ;  it  was  so  general.  How  would  they  ascer- 
tain the  fourth  dog?  At  last  my  friend  Peter  AVhitehurst 
declared  that  all  the  dogs  in  the  department  would  have  to 
be  killed  but  three,  then  there  would  be  no  fourth  dog  left. 
This  produced  great  consternation  among  the  old  maids  and 
the  3'oung  sportsmen  for  their  poodles  and  pointers,  so  they 
rushed  to  the  headquarters  and  inquired  for  an  interpreta- 
tion of  the  order,  when  they  were  very  politely  informed 
by  the  following  answer  :  "  Ladies  and  gentlemen,  we  do  not 
desire  to  hurt  a  hair  on  your  dog's  back.  It  is  only  to  in- 
crease the  j;roi'05/  marshaVs  fund  that  the  order  is  made.  All 
of  you  wdio  will  pay  two  dollars  to  the  provost  marshal,  get 
a  license  for  j'our  dog,  and  a  collar  and  put  on  his  neck,  can 
keep  him,  to  comfort  3'our  declining  years  and  youthful 
sports."  On  the  23d  of  March  near  ^1,500  had  been  paid 
in.  I  did  not  learn  whether  a  Boston  friend  had  the  mo- 
nopoly of  selling  dog  collars.  But  the  order  must  be  carried 
out  by  way  of  paying  the  money.  The  veteran  soldiers — 
white  soldiers — were  detailed  to  hunt  them  up  and  bring 
them  in  for  redemption. 

When  I  landed  in  Norfolk  tlie  other  day,  I  went  up  Main 
street  to  the  hotel.  After  I  passed  the  provost  marshal's 
office,  I  met  a  veteran  soldier  leading  w^itli  a  rope  a  fine, 
noble  countenanced  pointer  dog.  The  poor  fellow^  looked 
restive.  He  seemed  to  recognize  a  friend  in  me,  and  ran 
around  me  bringing  the  rope  around  mj  limbs.  I  extricated 
myself  and  told  him  I  was  only  a  civilian.  A  little  further 
on  I  met  another  soldier  w^ith  a  medium-sized  cur,  with  his 
head  and  tail  down,  showing  his  teeth  a  little,  looked  surly 
and  as  much  as  to  say,  ''Idid'nt  know  that  this  war  was 
about  dogs;  I  don't  care  a  —  which  side  w^hips,"  orsucli 
sentiment  as  might  be  expected  from  a  mean  cur.  A  little 
further  on  I  met  another  soldier  with  a  line  around  a  little 
dog'^  neck;  he  was  between  the  spaniel  and  the  poodle — 
white  wool — but  dirty;  his  chin  w^as  close  on  the  ground, 
his  eyes  upturned  meekly,  and  wagging  his  tail  gently  as 
he  went  along.  A  juvenile  freedman,  who  was  standing  on 
the  pavement,  said,  "little  doggie,  if  you  don't  get  two 
dollars,  Massa  Butler  will  take  de  w\ag  out  ob  your  tail." 

HOWAPvD  ASSOCIATIOIsr. 

When  the  yellow  fever  raged  in  Xorfolk  and  Portsmouth, 
in  1855,  the  good  people  of'the  neighboring  cities  sent  in  a 


29 

large  amount  of  money  to  some  gentlemen  who  formed  a 
society,  under  the  name  of  the  Howard  Association.  Tliere 
was  $60,000  left  after  the  fever  had  abated.  They  were 
chartered  by  the  Legislature  of  Virginia  for  tlie  purpose  of 
taking  care  of  and  supporting  the  orplians  made  by  the 
yellow  fever,  and  for  other  benevolent  objects,  when  that  was 
accomplished.  The  members  of  the  Board  have  faithfully 
preserved  the  fund,  using  the  interest  for  the  purpose.  There 
are  some  twelve  or  fifteen  of  the  orphans  which  are  still  a  charge 
upon  them.  Last  year  they  had  a  small  surplus  of  interest 
which  they  devoted  to  the  poor.  The  monej-  is  all  invested 
in  loans,  secured  b}^  mortgages  on  real  estate  and  bonds 
with  personal  securit3^  Some  of  the  directors  are  disloyal, 
but  the  evidences  of  the  debt  are  on  record,  and  they  are 
faithfully  discharging  their  duty.  On  the  22d  of  March, 
General  Butler  issued  an  order,  directing  a  committee  of 
three,  two  of  them  officers  on  his  staff,  one  a  civilian  of  re- 
cent settlement  in  the  city,  to  take  possession  of  the  assets 
of  the  association.  On  the  22d,  Captain  Edgar  called  on 
the  secretary  of  the  association,  and  demanded  of  him  and 
obtained  all  the  assets  of  the  association  ;  and  on  the  23d 
ordered  all  the  board  to  meet  him  at  the  provost  marshal's 
office. 

General  Butler,  v/ith  the  same  propriety  and  more,  might 
seize  the  assets  of  Girard  College,  or  that  of  any  professor- 
ship in  Harvard  University,  for  taking  care  of  the  poor  in 
jS^orfolk  and  Princess  Anne  counties. 

I  will  here  make  a  remark  in  regard  to  the  great  clamor 
throua'h  the  J^ortli  about  General  Butler  takimj;  char2;e  of 
the  poor.  He  has  a  preacher  going  around  trying  to 
convince  the  people  that  General  Butler  is  a  very  proper 
man  ;  he  is  so  liberal  to  the  poor,  thus  using  Ileaven's 
liveried  missionaries  to  make  his  conduct  palatable.  But 
General  Butler  can  never  get  the  co-operation  of  the  Union 
people  of  Norfolk  in  any  enterpris.e,  however  benevolent, 
while  it  is  under  the  management  of  members  of  his  staff 
and  associates^  simpl}-  because  they  have  no  confidence  in 
them. 

I  desire  to  put  to  rest  this  clamor  about  the  Government 
taking  care  of  the  poor  in  Norfolk  and  Princess  Anne  coun- 
ties, and  the  two  cities.  Ever  since  the  Union  troops  occu- 
pied the  cities  of  Norfolk  and  Portsmouth,  the  military  have 
had  possession  of  the  ferry  and  boats  between  the  two  cities, 
using  them  for  its  own  profit  and  benefit,  collecting  tolls 
from  all  civilians,  and  transporting  Government  troops  and 


ao 

property.  This  ferry  belongs  to  the  two  cities;  tbey  liave 
not  received  one  dollar  from  it.  The  niilitarj^  has  got  it  all. 
The  receipts  of  the  ferry  before  the  war,  amounted  to  from 
§15,000  to  §18,000  per  annum.  Since  the  military  has  had  it 
I  am  satistied  that  if  the  Government  had  paid  for  its  use  at 
the  same  rate  that  an^-  similar  service  is  paid  for  in  the 
Korth,  it  would  yield  at  least  forty  thousand  dollars  per  an- 
num, which  is  twice  the  sum  appropriated  for  taking  care  of 
the  poor.  But  this  committee  for  taking  care  of  the  poor 
are  holding  meetings,  are  abusing  the  Union  men  for  not 
rallying  around  them,  and  trying  to  get  up  the  idea  that 
there  are  no  Union  men  in  Xorfolk.  The  Union  men  won't 
rally  under  such  leadership.  The  poor  are  from  the  oyster 
men,  who  are  so  taxed  and  fined  that  they  can't  make  a 
living.  The  poor  in  the  county  are,  many  of  them,  made 
so  by  the  destruction  and  plunder  of  the  helpless,  in  military 
raids.  A  highly  intelligent  gentleman,  and  now  a  loyal 
member  of  the  Virginia  State  Convention,  told  me  that  for 
three  weeks  after  General  Wild  made  his  celebrated  raid  in 
Princess  Anne,  he  could  stand  on  the  portico  of  his  house 
and  trace  the  track  of  the  raid  for  ten  miles  by  the  turkey 
buzzards,  feeding  on  the  carrion  made  by  destruction  of  ani- 
mal life.  Union  men  and  widows  shared  the  same  fate;  all 
the}^  had  was  taken  or  destroj-ed,  and  thus  many  of  the  poor 
are  made.  I  forbear  facts  and  incidents.  Many  of  the  poor 
are  the  wives  and  children  of  rebels,  either  killed  or  now 
serving  in  the  rebel  arm3\  The  Union  men  have  urged 
that  the  rich  rebels  left  behind  should  take  care  of  them.  It 
was  urged  as  a  distinct  proposition,  that  the  rents  of  the 
property  of  rebels  who  were  in  rebellion,  and  at  home, 
should  go  to  their  support.  It  was  urged  that  Tazwell 
Taylor,  the  commissioner  to  procure  a  rebel  loan  in  J^orfolk, 
and  who  was  a  member  of  Mao-ruder's  staff  while  the  rebels 
were  there,  and  who  took  §15,000  of  the  rebel  loan,  should 
be  taxed  or  compelled  to  contribute  §15,000  to  take  care  of 
the  rebel  poor.  But  strange  to  sa}-,  this  same  Tazwell  re- 
mained a  bitter  rebel  to  the  last,  was  General  Xaglee's 
closest  companion,  and  was  called  in  by  General  Butler  to 
consult  about  the  civil  government  of  Norfolk. 

Tazwell  left  the  city  and  removed  to  Baltimore,  without 
ever  contributing  one  cent,  as  far  as  General  Butler  is  con- 
cerned, for  support  of  rebel  poor;  and  now  the  support  of 
the  poor  is  made  a  scapegoat  in  the  estimation  of  ail  Gen- 
eral Butler's  admirers,  and  a  salvo  for  seizing  and  taxing 
everything ;  and  because  the  Union  men  who  have  liberally 


31 

drained  their  pockets  to  support  the  poor,  will  not  come  for- 
ward and  follow  the  dictates  of  Captain  Edgar,  in  whom 
they  have  no  confidence,  they  are  stigmatized  as  rehels,  and 
forsooth,  there  is  no  loyalty  in  the  city. 

It  is  now  too  late  to  lay  any  contribution  on  rebel  property 
holders  in  the  cities  to  support  the  poor.  General  Butler 
has  required  them  all  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance,  with 
promise  of  protection,  and  the  promise  ought  to  be  kept. 
The  Union  poor  can  be  supported  by  the  Union  people,  if 
the  avenues  of  industry  and  enterprise  are  left  open  for  them 
to  work  ;  but  if  part  are  taxed  to  till  the  coffers  of  the  p"o- 
vosi  marshaVs  fund,  and  others  prohibited  from  following 
their  avocations  because  they  are  in  the  way  of  Boston 
favorites,  they  will  all  soon  be  paupers  and  vagabonds.  The 
rebel  poor,  wbose  friends  and  protectors  are  in  the  rebel 
army,  must  be  cared  for,  either  by  cutting  oft'  their  heads, 
sending  them  across  the  lines  to  their  protectors,  selling  rich 
rebels'  propertj^  who  are  in  rebellion,  and  supporting  them 
out  of  the  proceeds,  or  the  United  States  Government  must 
support  them.     These  are  simple  propositions. 

The  policy  of  supporting  the  poor  out  of  rebel  property 
was  partially  introduced.  But  when  General  Butler  came 
it  was  all  broken  u[).  The  houses  were  needed  for  his  offi- 
cers and  Boston  friends,  who  are  occupying  them  free  of 
rent. 

THE  WOOD  BUSI^S^ESS. 

Shipping  fire  wood  is  an  extensive  and  profitable  business 
in  Norfolk  and  tliat  section.  After  General  Butler  went 
there  the  natives  found  it  diflicult  to  get  permits — Bostoni- 
ans  got  them.     I  will  give  a  case. 

CAPTAi:^'  CROWEL  AXB  B.  &  J.  BAKER 

Had  a  wrecking  vessel  which  had  been  sunk.  They  raised 
it,  parti}'  refitted  it,  and  loaded  it  with  wood,  with  a  view 
to  send  the  vessel  to  i^ew  York  to  complete  some  part 
of  the  rigging.  They  went  to  General  AVild  for  a  permit, 
lie  is  the  military  governor  of  the  city.  Upon  their  first 
call  they  were  refused  a  permit.  They  called  a  second 
time,  in  a  week  after  the  first.  Tbey  had  one  hundred  and 
seventy-five  cords  of  wood  loaded,  and  urged  their  case; 
their  boat  being  a  wrecking  vessel,  they  stated  that  if 
they  met  a  vessel  on  the  way  in  distress,  they  would  throw 


^0 


their  wood  overboard  and  go  to  lier  relief,  &c.  They  made 
a  strong  case,  but  the  General,  however,  refused ;  said  he 
had  granted  all  the  permits  he  thought  it  prudent  to  grant, 
but  perhaps  if  they  would  go  to  some  of  the  gentlemen  who 
had  permits,  they  would  get  permission  to  ship  on  their  per- 
mit. They  went  to  a  Boston  man  by  the  name  of  Bishop, 
who  had  a  permit  to  ship  four  thousand  six  hundred  cords. 
The}'  asked  him  for  a  permit,  and  he  consented.  One  hun- 
dred and  seventy-five  cords  at  §3  50  per  cord  at  one  per 
cent  would  be  §6  12.  They  asked  Mr.  Bishop  what  they 
must  pay.  He  replied,  "  You  know  I  have  to  pay  one  per 
cent."  They  handed  him  §25  00,  and  asked  them  if  that 
would  be  satisfactory.  lie  replied  it  would.  Crowel  is  an 
old  man,  and  a  true  Union  man.  B.  &  J.  Baker  are  north- 
ern men  and  have  been  there  for  many  years,  engaged  as 
wreckers.     I  don't  know  their  politics,  if  they  have  any. 

SALE  OF  C0R:N". 

It  is  difficult  to  get  a  permit  to  send  corn  out  of  the  de- 
partment. I  find  no  fault  with  the  rule,  but  some  do  get 
permits.  There  were  some  twelve  to  fifteen  thousand  bushels 
of  corn  to  be  sold  for  the  benefit  of  the  freed  men,  being 
their  share  of  a  lot  raised  last  year.  The  money  was  going 
to  them.  A  native  by  the  name  of  Patterson  had  a  contract 
for  delivering  corn  to  the  Government,  at  §1  25  per  bushel, 
at  [N'orfolk.  Some  man  from  the  ^orth  said  he  had  a  per- 
mit to  ship,  so  he  was  ready  to  buy.  Patterson  and  the 
^STorthern  man  (I  don't  know  where  he  was  from)  were  com- 
petitors at  the  sale.  The  corn  was  run  up  to  §1  12  per 
bushel,  and  bought  by  Patterson,  much  to  the  chagrin  of 
the  stranger,  who  remarked  that  he  "did  not  know  why  Pat- 
terson bid  so  much,  he  had  no  permit  to  ship."  I  merely 
mention  this  to  teach  gentlemen  who  express  so  much  sym- 
pathy for  the  poor  freedman  how  they  might  have  given 
liim  bread  and  raiment,  and  done  no  injustice  to  any  person. 
The  Government  wanted  corn,  and  General  Wild  gave  Pat- 
terson the  contract.  Patterson  turned  the  corn  over  to  the 
Government,  perhaps  without  handling,  at  $1  25  per  bushel. 
Why  could  nottlie  party  superintending  the  sale  have  had  it 
turned  over  to  the  Government  at  §1  25?  The  profits  of 
Patterson  wonid  have  gotten  many,  many  comforts  for  the 
little  freedman.  But  tlien  there  would  have  been  no  hope 
of  speculation  to  the  gentleman  with  the  permit. 


33 


BUCK  &  CO. 

Tills  company  is  composed  of  Joseph  A.  Bock,  Isaac  M. 
Dennison,  Peter  II.  AVhiteburst,  and  Charles  Whiteliurst. 
This  firm  did  a  large  business  in  dry  goods  and  groceries, 
old  iron,  pewter,  lead,  brass,  copper,  old  rope,  sails,  and 
grain.  Tbey  were  engaged  in  it  before  the  rebellion. 
The  vessel  E.  C.  Knight,  loaded  with  lumber,  stranded  on 
the  beach  of  Princess  AniiC  county,  about  the  first  of  Janu- 
ary last.  The  underwriters  sold  the  cargo  to  the  highest 
bidder.  Quartermaster  Godwin  became  the  purchaser,  and 
employed  a  Captain  Caffee,  a  resident  near  the  lumber,  to 
haul  it  over  the  beach  to  a  landing  on  Currituck  Sound, 
where  it  could  be  loaded  and  brought  to  Korfolk.  Great 
expedition  was  required,  lest  b}^  rise  of  wind  and  tide  the 
lumber  should  be  lost.  Caffee  employed  above  one  hundred 
hands,  and  got  over  one  hundred  and  fifty-nine  thousand 
feet  of  lumber,  for  which  he  was  to  get  twelve  dollars  per 
thousand  feet.  He  knew  it  would  be  some  time  before  he 
could  get  his  money,  and  they  desired  to  have  some  gro- 
ceries and  salt  to  salt  their  pork.  He  called  on  Buck  &  Co., 
who  had  engaged  to  take  two  vessels  and  bring  down  the 
lumber,  to  furnish  these  articles  to  pay  the  hands  for  their 
labor,  and  wait  with  him  until  he  got  his  money  from  the 
Government.  Thereby  he  would  be  accommodated  and 
they  would  make  a  profit.  So  Buck  &  Co.  called  on  Quar- 
termaster Godwin  for  permission,  and  he  referred  them  to 
the  provost  marshal.     The  application  was  in  these  words: 

"  Gen.  Wild  :  Sir — We  respectfully  ask  permission  to 
ship  to  Knott's  Island,  per  schooner  Georgia,  to  be  sold  to 
men  that  have  been  working  to  save  Government  property 
on  the  sea-beach,  the  following  articles  :  one  hundred  sacks 
salt,  ten  barrels  flour,  five  barrels  syrup,  two  barrels  sugar, 
one  box  tobacco,  and  two  bags  of  coffee." 

They  were  going  to  take  two  schooners  and  another  cargo 
of  same  quantity  on  a  similar  permit. 

They  went  to  Provost  Marsiial  Whelden,  presented  their 
permit  to  his  clerk,  Tilden,  who  was  sitting  by  the  side  of 
the  provost  marshal,  showed  him  that  they  had  taken  the 
oath,  and  had  paid  their  license.  He  endorsed  it  and  handed 
it  to  the  provost  marshal,  who  signed  it.  Buck  then  asked 
him  to  whom  they  should  take  it  next.     The  clerk  replied, 

3P 


34 

"  Tliat  is  all  right;  every  officer  in  tlie  department  would 
respect  that."  Buck,  to  be  sure,  repeated  iu  substance  the 
same  remark,  and  received  the  same  answer.  They  started 
on  their  journey  and  were  arrested  some  fifteen  or  twenty 
miles  from  the  city,  and  brought  back  by  order  of  the  pro- 
vost marshal,  who  ordered  thorn  before  the  provost  judge, 
to  try  them  and  confiscate  their  property  for  attempting  to 
run  the  blockade.  They  waited  ten  days  before  a  trial 
could  be  obtained,  their  vessels  lying  there.  They  had  their 
trial,  the  facts  turned  out  as  above  stated,  and  they  were 
released,  and  went  immediatelj/  to  the  vessels.  Before  they 
reached  the  store  they  were  arrested  again  for  having  old  brass 
and  copper  on  hand  belonging  to  the  Government.  They 
immediately  appeared  before  the  provost  judge.  lie  was 
on  another  case  and  they  could  get  no  trial  for  some  seven 
days.     They  were  finall}^  tried  and  acquitted. 

They  were  thus  detained  about  seventeen  days  with  their 
vessels,  at  a  cost  of  about  twenty  dollars  per  day,  and  had  to 
give  up  their  adventure.  Since  that  time  they  have  made 
live  dilFerent  applications  for  shipping  the  produce  on  hand, 
consisting  of  rags,  cotton,  old  iron,  copper,  brass,  lead, 
pewter,  bees- wax,  old  grease,  bristles,  old  rope,  sails,  i\nd 
wood,  of  which  they  have  about  ten  thousand  dollars  worth 
on  hand,  all  of  which  have  been  refused.  Finally,  Buck 
■wrote  a  statement  to  General  Butler  of  himself  and  his  con- 
nection with  AVhitehurst,  alleging  his  loyalty,  the  purity  of 
his  intentions,  that  General  Wild  had  stated  tliere  was  a 
cloud  hanging  over  his  character,  and  ofiering  to  prove  as 
loyal  and  upright  a  character  as  any  man  in  the  department, 
civil  or  military,  and  asking  that  he  might  be  placed  on  an 
equal  footing  with  other  men.  General  Butler  referred  the 
letter  to  General  Wild,  and  General  Wild  made  on  the  letter 
the  following  endorsements : 


"  Headquarters,  Departmext  of  Ya.  and  X.  C., 

"  February  24,  1804. 

"Respectfully  referred  to  General   AVild,  to  know  Avhat  is 
the  objection  to  Mr.  Buck. 


"By  command  of  Major  General  Butler. 


"II.  C.  CLARK, 

'•''Cai)tam  and  A.  D.  C 


35 

"Headquarters,  ^STorfolk  and  Portsmouth,  Va., 

IlToRFOLK,  Va.,  February  28,  1864 

Respectfully  return,  with  a  reference  to  page  2d,  part  11. 
These  goods  were  ostensibly  sent  for  the  use  only  of  a  gang 
of  workmen  and  their  families  enf>:a2:ed  on  the  ocean  shore 
where  there  ought  to  be  salt  enough  for  their  limited  pur- 
poses. In  eilect,  they  were  to  go  beyond  our  lines  to  a 
neighborhood  noted  for  disloyalty  of  the  worst  fame,  "guer- 
rillas," between  which  point  and  Richmond  there  would  be" 
no  obstacle  to  the  transportation  of  every  pound,  and  these 
invoices  would  pay  richly  for  the  trouble.  Also,  with  a 
reference  to  page  3d,  line  8d.  Buck  knew  well  enough  the 
character  of  Caffee,  a  guerrilla  himself,  and  brother,  and 
brother-in-law,  uncle,  and  cousin  to  several  other  guerrillas. 
Buck  could  very  easy  surmise  what  sort  of  a  gang  of  work- 
men Caffee  would  get  together.  Yet  he  was  ready  to  place 
in  his  hands  such  invoices  of  goods  as  these.  Also,  with 
reference  to  page  2d,  line  99,  &c.,  &c.  Buck  has  done  busi- 
ness enouo'h  here  to  know  that  he  could  not  travel  all  over 
-the  department  on  the  word  of  a  provost  marshal's  clerk, 
nor  on  a  mere  certificate  that  he  had  taken  the  oath ; 
that  the  permission  from  the  commanding  officer,  which  he 
had  to  obtain  for  every  one  of  his  imports  and  exports,  was 
vastly  more  necessary  for  trading  over  the  lines.  Also, 
with  reference  to  page  2d,  line  3d,  Judge  Stackpole — ver- 
dict, released  vessels  and  goods  from  conliscation,  but  did 
not  let  them  resume  the  voyage.  Buck  then,  for  the  first 
time,  came  in  to  ask  me  for  that  permit.  It  was  disapproved 
at  once.  Also,  with  a  reference  to  page  3d,  line  3d.  This 
relates  to  large  quantities  of  old  junk  that  Buck  tried  to 
export,  containing  brass,  copper,  &c.,  stolen  from  ISTavy  Yards, 
&c.  Also  with  reference  to  page  1st,  line  2-Uli  ;  Buck  here 
admits  a  fact  which  Whitehurst  denied  and  confessed  ai2[ain 
half  a  dozen  times  in  so  many  minutes,  when  questioned 
b}' me.  Buck  had  a  large  quantity  of  old  junk,  rags,  cot- 
ton, and  stoves  to  export.  Finding  all  his  permits  re- 
tained until  the  question  of  theft  was  settled  he  brought 
Whitehurst  to  his  aid,  who  in  three  different  applications 
tried  to  ship  Buck's  goods.  These  were  identitied  by  the 
harbor  police  in  spite  of  Whitehurst's  repeated  assertions 
and  angry  protestations.  Shifting  of  imports  and  permits 
from  one  partj^  to  another  is  inadmissible  in  these  trouble- 
some times,  and  should  subject  both  parties  to  a  stoppage  of 
all   further   privileges.     This   Buck  case  grew  worse  with 


36 

"Whitehurst's  help.  I  made  np  my  mind  that  Buck's  acquisi- 
tiveness was  much  larger  than  his  loyalty  and  rectitude. 
Moreover,  I  learned  his  partner  in  Baltimore,  Denison,  has 
been  from  the  first  a  known  secessionist,  active  in  word  if 
not  in  deed.  This  I  slathered  from  Whitehurst  himself,  I 
therefore  enclosed  all  the  papers  in  the  case,  February  12th, 
and  forwarded  them  to  Major  R.  L.  Davis,  Acting  Adjutant 
General.  They  were  returned  with  his  letter  of  transmittal. 

^Provost  Marshal's  Office,  Headquarters, 

Fort  Moxroe,  Va.,  Febnianj  IG,  1864. 
Brig.  G-en.  Wild,  Norfolk,  Ya.  : 

I  am  directed  by  the  Major  General  commanding  to  re- 
turn to  you  the  enclosed  application  of  Buck  k  Co.,  and  to 
state  that  the  disposition  of  them  is  left  to  your  discretion. 
"Your  decision  in  the  matter  will  be  final. 

I  am,  General,  very  respectfully,  vour  obedient  servant, 

joii:n'  cassells, 

Ccqotain  and  A.  D.  CV 


'^T  at  once  decided  to  disapprove  all  of  Buck's  permits  for 
the  future,  that  he  is  too  slippery  for  this  department.  That 
he  be  at  liberty  to  sell  out  at  his  leisure,  and  should  have 
permission  to  return  to  Baltimore  and  indulge  his  trading 
propensities  in  a  safe  field.  I  shall  follow  the  same  course 
with  Peter  Whitehurst. 

Respectfullv  submitted, 

ED^yARD  A.  WILD, 

Brig.  Gen.  Commanding, 
''  General  "Wild's  action  approved. 

(Signed,)  BEi^TJ.  F.  BUTLER.'^ 

This  is  a  paper  of  grave  import,  and  contains  grave 
charges. 

After  all  these  endorsements  were  made,  the  paper  was 
sent  to  Buck  by  General  Butler.  There  is  evidently  a  bad 
feeling  in  General  Wild's  mind  towards  Buck  and  White- 
hurst. They  know  of  no  reason  for  it,  except  it  grew  out  of 
a  transaction  connected  with  General  AYild's  celebrated  raid 
into  IS^orth  Carolina  and  Princess  Anne  count}'.  It  was  this  : 
"While  near  where  Captain  Cafiee  lives.  General  Wild  came 
to  the  house  owned  by  a  man  by  the  name  of  White,  who 
was  a  captain  in  the  confederate  service.  General  Wild  ar- 
rested Mrs.  W^hite,  the  wife,  as  a  hostage  for  something,  I 
don't  know  what.     She  was  in  a  delicate  situation.     Her 


37 

clanghter,  a  young  girl  of  about  nineteen  years  of  age, 
stepped  forward  and  said,  "  General,  you  cannot  take  my 
mother,  take  me."  lie  took  the  daughter  and  set  fire  to  the 
house,  and  burnt  everything  in  it,  with  all  the  nick  nacks  of 
an  expectant  mother.  In  two  days  afterward  Mrs.  White 
was  confined,  the  daughter  was  taken  a  prisoner.  They 
had  not  proceeded  far  until  they  came  to  Colonel  Mix,  of 
]S"ew  York,  with  his  regiment.  The  Colonel  and  his  men, 
seeing  the  young  girl  in  possession  of  the  colored  troops,  in- 
terfered, and  dechired  they  were  sent  to  protect  persons  and 
property,  and  were  going  to  rescue  the  girl.  The  men  and 
ofiicers  in  both  commands  became  highly  excited,  and  were 
about  coming  into  conflict,  when  the  girl  stepped  forward 
and  said:  "Men,  don't  shed  blood  on  my  account;  they 
have  not  mistreated  me;  ray  honor  is  untarnished;  I  am 
here  in  place  of  my  mother."  The  angry  blood  cooled,  the 
girl  was  carried  to  N'orfolk,  and  kept  there  in  the  second 
story  of  General  Wild's  headquarters  some  three  weeks,  her 
mother,  in  the  meantime,  lying  at  the  point  of  death  ;  and 
by  the  efibrts  of  Captain  Cafiee,  aided  by  Buck  and  White- 
hurst,  the  girl  was  released,  I  think  through  General  Butler. 
This  interference  may  have  been  their  sin,  which  cast  them 
from  favor.  Captain  Cafiee  is  an  old  sea  captain,  resides  in 
Princess  Anne  county,  is  a  man  of  substance  and  energ}^,  and 
has  relations  by  blood  and  marriage  in  the  confederate  army, 
but  who  has  not?  I  cannot  learn  that  Cafiee  is  a  guerrilla, 
or  ever  has  been  one.  He  is  back  and  forw^ard  frequentl}^ 
I  understand,  at  Norfolk,  and  if  Cafiee  is  a  guerrilla,  as  de- 
clared by  General  Wild,  he,  having  the  command,  certainly 
ought  to  arrest  him  and  try  him  as  such. 

General  AVild  declares  in  this  endorsement  that  these  goods 
(in  the  schooner)  "in  eftect  were  to  go  beyond  our  lines." 
IIow  does  he  know  this?  He  broadly  asserts  it;  yet  he 
kept  them  for  ten  days  before  he  tried  the  parties,  and  they 
were  acquitted  in  his  own  court,  by  his  own  judge,  on  the 
testimony  of  the  clerk  in  the  provost  marshal's  oflice.  Cafiee 
and  his  men  Avere  good  enough  to  trust  by  the  quartermas- 
ter to  bring  a  large  amount  of  lumber  across  the  bar,  when 
great  dispatch  was  required  to  prevent  loss.  If  sufiiciently 
faithful  to  work  for  the  Government  where,  if  they  did  not 
work,  it  would  incur  great  loss,  why  object  to  their  having  a 
little  salt,  sugar,  and  cofiee  ? 

These  same  men,  headed  by  Cafiee,  have  saved  for  the 
Government,  since  that  time,  about  half  a  million  dollars' 
worth  of  property  from  vessels  wrecked  on  the  same  coast 


38 

where  these  goods  were  destined.      Aud  yet  this  Caffee  and 
liis  men  are  denounced  as  guerrillas. 

General  Wild  charges  that  "in  page  third,  line  third,  this 
relates  to  large  quantities  of  junk  that  Buck  had  to  export, 
containing  hrass,  copper,  &c.,  stolen  from  Xavj,  kc."  He 
says  he  retained  all  these  things  until  the  question  of 
ihefl  was  settled.  Is  not  that  question  settled  ?  Were  not 
they  summoned  before  Judge  Stackpole,  and  kept  there 
seven  days,  and  General  "Wild  notified  of  the  fact  that  they 
were  not  guilt}^,  but  proved  themselves  innocent?  But 
Peter  AVhitehurst  denied  and  confessed  a  half  dozen  times 
the  same  thing  in  that  many  minutes.  lie  learned  that 
Buck's  acquisitiveness  was  larger  than  his  loyalty,  and  his 
partner  in  Baltimore  was  a  rebel ;  and  finally,  in  his  last 
endorsement,  he  gives  him  the  privilege  to  sell  out  at  his 
leisure  and  return  to  Baltimore,  and  made  same  order  as  to 
Peter  Whitehurst. 

]S'ow,  gentlemen,  without  repetition,  I  refer  you  to  the 
record.  General  Wild  savs  shiftins:  permits  is  inadmissible. 
Yet  he  advises  it  in  the  case  of  the  wood  permit,  where  a 
Boston  friend  profited  four  hundred  per  cent,  by  it.  Com- 
ment is  unnecessarv. 

Peter  H.  Whitehurst  is  a  native  of  Virginia,  a  man 
of  high  character,  and  as  loj^al  a  man  as  lives.  The 
firm  to  which  he  belonirs  has  paid  more  than  three 
thousand  dollars  for  the  support  of  the  poor  and  the 
Union  cause,  since  our  troops  occupied  Xorfolk.  Charles 
Whitehurst  is  a  member  of  the  loyal  Virginia  Senate, 
a  Christian  gentleman,  and  as  pure  a  man,  I  think,  as 
I  ever  met.  Buck  stands  as  high,  I  am  informed,  as  an 
honorable  merchant,  as  anv  in  Baltimore;  his  lovalty  un- 
doubted.  Denison,  Buck's  partner  in  Baltimore,  was  a 
secessionist  in  April,  1861.  In  June  he  joined  one  of  the 
Union  aid  associations  in  Baltimore.  In  July,  1863,  when 
Lee  invaded  Maryland,  six  months'  volunteers  were  called 
for.  Young  Creamer  was  a  clerk  in  some  institution  in 
which  Denison  was  a  director.  After  Creamer  left,  Den- 
ison moved  that  his  company  vote  him  fifty  dollars  bounty, 
and  keep  his  place  open  for  him  until  his  return.  * 

This  is  the  class  of  men  stricken  down  and  all  the 
avenues  of  trade  shut  up  to  them,  charged  with  theft, 
after  the  General  knew  they  had  been  acquitted,  notified 
to  sell  their  o^oods  to  some  other  person  who  would 
make  the  speculation  by  transportation,  I  suppose.  Is  this 
right;    is    it  just,    that    these   men,    two    of    them    living 


39 

in  'N'orfolk,  with  large  families  to  support,  ancT  wlio  have 
lost  largely  b}'  the  rebellion,  should  thus  be  blasted  by  the 
caprice  of  a  commanding  general  ?  Peter  Whitehurst  had 
a  slave  named  Charles,  worth  fifteen  hundred  dollars  before 
the  war.  Charles  remained  with  him  until  the  order  came 
to  enlist  colored  men.  AVliitehurst  went  to  Charles,  al- 
though he  was  not  free,  and  told  him,  "  Charles,  you 
now  have  a  chance  to  fio:ht  for  the  freedom  of  vour  race. 
Go  and  join  a  colored  regiment  and  show  yourself  a  man." 
Charles  said  :  "Master,  I  want  to  stay  with  you."  "ITo," 
said  Peter,  "your  country  needs  you  more  than  I  do,  go." 
He  went,  and  is  now  a  soldier,  and  Peter  has  never  made 
any  demand  for  service  or  bounty.  This  is  a  Virginia 
Union  man. 

YELLOW  PmE  AISTD  SHIP  KIN'EES. 

It  is  reported  that  one  party  from  Boston  has  a  permit 
from  General  Butler  to  cut  all  the  yellow  pine  and  ship  knees 
in  his  district.  This  is  a  large  operation  and  may  amount 
to  millions.  They  have  commenced  cutting  all  the  timber 
from  some  farms  below  Norfolk  on  the  Bay,  sawing  it  into 
lumber  and  wood.  These  farms  belons^  to  resident  secession- 
ists  who  reside  on  their  land,  who  have  not  taken  up  arms, 
nor  are  their  lands  liable  to  confiscation  ;  and  the}^  have 
taken  the  oath  under  General  Butler's  order  with  the  promise 
of  protection.  The  timber  is  all  cut  down,  landmarks  des- 
troyed, and  the  farms  rendered  valueless,  to  a  great  extent, 
for  want  of  timber.  I  have  no  o1)jection,  where  the  Gov- 
ernment needs  lumber,  and  timber  is  on  land  liable  to 
confiscation,  to  its  being  cut  and  used.  Nor  would  it  have 
been  ver}^  objectionable  that  when  a  man  owns  timber,  and 
is  a  rebel,  and  has  not  taken  the  oath,  to  take  his  timber  for 
Government  purposes.  But  when  a  man  has  taken  the  oath 
with  a  promise  of  protection,  the  Government  is  bound  to 
protect  him. 

THE  NEW  EEGIME. 

This  is  the  title  of  a  new^  daily  newspaper,  published  in 
Norfolk  under  the  auspices  of  General  Butler.  New  Regime 
means  new  government,  or  order  of  things.  Newspaper 
enterprises  generally  depend  on  private  capital  and  enter- 
prise. But  the  Kciv  .Regime  had  two  printing  establishments, 
engines,  presses,  and  type  seized,  belonging  to  men  who 


40 

had  taken  tne  oath.  A  restaurant  keeper  was  turned  out  of 
the  house  he  occupied  because  it  was  needed  for  military 
purposes — the  quartermaster  was  required  to  detail  hands 
from  Government  shops  to  repair  engines  and  do  carpenters' 
work  to  the  amount  of  seven  hundred  and  seventeen  dollars 
and  fortv-live  cents,  which  was  charo;ed  to  the  United  States 
Government,  and  Mr.  Cliase  will  have  the  money  to  provide 
to  pay,  to  repair  the  engines  and  do  carpenter  work,  to  get 
ready  for  editing  the  Kew  Eegime.  Then  Captain  Clark, 
one  of  General  Butler's  staff,  was  detailed  with  a  civilian 
from  Boston  to  edit  the  paper.  Sixty  printers — soldiers 
from  the  army — were  detailed  and  sent  to  the  office,  thirty 
of  them  were  chosen  and  now  are  acting  as  type  setters, 
printers,  and  engaged  in  various  ways  in  getting  out  the 
paper,  and  receiving  their  pay  and  rations  from  the  United 
States  Goverment;  one  of  the  editors  paid  as  an  officer. 
Suppose  these  printers  to  be  all  veterans,  and  if  they  are  not 
veterans  will  have  to  take  their  place  in  the  held.  The  Gov- 
ernment, State  and  Federal,  are  piiying  now,  seven  hundred 
dollars  bounty,  besides  clothing. 

The  ^ew  Regime  stands  as  to  cost  to  the  country  per  an- 
num, about  thus  : 

For  bounty  to  30  sokliers,  at  §700 $21,000  00 

Pa3^,   clothing,   and   subsistence  of  30    soldiers, 

at  §30  per  month 10,800  00 

Cost  of  repairs  to  engines  and  carpenter  work--         717  46 
Pay  of  Captain  Clarke,  about 1,800  00 

34,317  46 

Captain  Clark  is  on  detached  duty,  and  is  entitled  to 
commutation  for  rent,  fuel,  light,  and  rooms. 

The  editor's  business  notice  is  as  follows  :  ''  The  job  print- 
ing department  of  this  office  is  the  most  complete  in  Virginia, 
and  as  all  our  presses  are  run  by  steam  power,  we  can  afford 
to  execute  all  kinds  of  work  at  the  lowest  possible  price. 
Send  orders  to  Xo.  33  Market  street,  corner  of  Commerce." 
Kept  up  as  the  New  Regime  is  by  the  Federal  Government, 
at  the  tune  of  §34,000  per  annum,  wearing  out  the  engines, 
press,  and  type  of  men  who  had  taken  the  oath  under 
promise  of  protection,  it  would  be  supposed  that  the}' could 
do  work  cheaply.  "But  there  is  no  need  of  these  soldiers 
now."  For  that  I  cannot  say.  On  the  night  of  the  21st  of 
March,  the  rebels  came  within  eight  miles  of  Xorfolk  and 
destroyed  a  considerable  amount  of  Government  property, 


41 

and  on  tlie  night  of  the  23d,  they  were  within  four  miles  of 
Norfolk.  Rebels  are  running  the  lines  almost  daWy.  The 
printer  soldier  cannot  attend  to  keeping  guard  or  protecting 
property,  were  they  to  do  so,  this  Boston  gentleman  could 
not  do  his  work  so  cheaply. 

The  object  of  tliis  newspaper  is  to  create  a  sink  to  absorb 
as  much  as  possible  of  the  provost  mar shaV s  fund  by  way  of 
advertisements.  Nearly  three  fourths  of  it  is  tilled  with 
military  orders  as  advertisements.  Also,  to  prove  that  the 
civil  ^-overnment  of  Yiro-inia  should  be  abolished  in  General 

-r-v  • 

Butler's  department  and  militarj^  rule  substituted.  I  called 
the  attention  of  the  Secretary  of  War  to  some  of  the  usur- 
pations at  Norfolk.  Among  other  things,  to  the  one  per 
cent,  on  merchandise  that  was  shipped  into  the  department. 
The  New  Regime  takes  up  the  gauntlet,  and  in  his  issue  of 
the  7tli  of  March,  he  devotes  nearly  three  columns  to  prove 
that  the  civil  government  ought  to  be  abolished  and  military 
substituted  in  General  Butler's  department.  Defending  the 
one  per  cent,  charge,  he  denounces  the  opposition  to  it  as 
the  "  hold  from  a  semi-loyal  government.'''  It  is  exceedingly 
offensive  to  those  who  have  imperiled  all,  and  are  still  doing 
all  in  their  power  to  advance  the  great  cause  of  the  country, 
to  be  denounced  by  a  mere  parasite  as  semi-loyal.  No 
man's  name  appears  as  editor  of  the  paper. 

There  are  two  daily  newspapers  in  Norfolk  and  Ports- 
mouth with  a  capacity  to  do  all  the  printing  required  by  the 
department. 


THE  MAKKETS. 

They  have  undertaken  to  regulate  the  price  of  articles 
sold  in  market.  I  here  give  the  military  order  containing 
the  bill  of  prices  : 

"  IIeadquarteks  Norfolk  and  Portsmoutii, 

Norfolk,  Va.,  February  11,  18G4. 
Special  Order,  No.  30. 

The  following  are  established  as  the  maximmn  prices  at  which  the  articles 
enumerated  below  may  be  sold  in  the  markets,  shops,  stalls,  or  other  places  at 
Norfolk  or  Portsmouth. 

Any  person  who  shall  be  convicted  of  selling  at  higher  rates  will  be  pun- 
ished according  to  the  discretion  of  the  provost  marshal,  and  his  produce 
shall  be  forfeited. 

The  only  currency  will  be  that  permitted  by  the  Government  of  the  United 
States. 


42 

First  quality  bacon,  per  lb So     IG 

Second  quality  bacon I2h 

Hams  per  lb 17 

Sbouklerp,  per  lb 12i 

Fresb  beef,  per  lb 

Fresb  sirloin  steak,  per  lb 15 

Fresh  round  steak,  per  lb Ic 

Fresh  roasting  pieces,  per  lb , 15 

Fresh  coarse  pieces,  per  lb 8 

Lard,  per  lb 18 

Butter,  per  lb 35  to  45 

Eggs,  per  dozen ,  30 

For  all  kinds  of  poultry  dressed 13 

Meal,  per  lb 2} 

Sweet  potatoes,  per  peck 30 

Beans,  per  quart ,  15 

Spots,  live,  per  dozen 30 

Spots,  salt,  per  dozen 15 

Turkeys  and  geese,  apiece,  alive 1  00 

Oysters,  per  quart 15 

Oysters,  shell,  per  bushel 50 

Lynn  Haven,  per  bushel  75 

Cabbage,  large,  per  head , 15 

Cabbage,  small,  per  head 3  to  8 

Roast  pigs 50cts.  to  1  00 

First  quality  mutton,  per  lb ■ 15 

Second  quality  mutton  per  lb  12j 

Bread,  four  ounces  per  loaf 5 

Croakers  and  drum-head  fish,  per  lb 5 

Blue  and  drum  fish,  per  lb  10 

Sheepshead  fish,  per  lb 10 

Spanish  mackerel,  per  lb 10 

Wood,  pine,  per  cord  3  50 

Wood,  hard,  per  cord 4  50 

Coal,  per  ton U   00 

-ilpples,  per  barrel 5  00 


All  groceries  not  mentioned  above,  ten  per  cent,  above  Baltimore  prices. 
The  above  prices  will  be  altered  from  time  to  time  as  the  change   of  season 
and  state  cf  market  may  require. 

By  command  of  Brig.  Gen.  E.  A.  Wild  : 

GEOBGE  H.  JOHNSON, 

Caj>t.  and  Asst.  Adj.  Gen. 

All  conversant  witli  the  prices  paid  in  the  Eastern  mar- 
kets for  similar  articles  will  at  once  observe  that  the  prices 
here  established  are  far  below  the  price  of  any  other  market. 
Groceries  ten  per  cent,  on  Baltimore  prices — tbey  paid,  when 
this  bill  was  established,  live  per  cent,  to  United  States 
Government,  one  per  cent,  to  General  Butler,  and  at  least 
two  and  one  half  per  cent,  freight,  cooperage,  &c.,  making- 
eight  and  one  half  percent. — one  and  one  half  per  cent,  is 
left  for  profit. 


43 

I  herewith  give  a  letter  from  a  Princess  Anne  county 
farmer  as  the  best  commentary  on  the  market  prices: 

^'Princess  Anne  County.  Yirginia, 

31arch  22,  1864. 

Sir:  We  think  the  formers  in  the  vicinity  of  N"orfolk  are 
\Qvy  unjustly  imposed  upon  by  having  the  prices  fixed  upon 
our  market  produce  by  tlie  military  authorities. 

In  the  first  place,  we  have  to  pay  higher  for  our  seeds  and 
fertilizers  than  ever  before,  say  thirty-three  percent.,  and  in 
addition  to  that  we  have  to  pay  five  per  cent,  in  Baltimore 
and  one  per  cent,  at  Old  Point  on  all  the  seeds  and  imple- 
ments we  bring  from  Baltimore.  Labor  is  higher,  and  we 
have  suffered  from  depredations  committed  by  a  class  of 
roving  whites  and  bhacks,  who  have  stolen  our  fowl,  pota- 
toes, and  even  some  of  the  horses.  Kow,  to  be  compelled  to 
take  such  prices  as  some  military  men  may  dictate,  and 
those  prices  not  more  than  one  half  of  what  is  paid  in  Balti- 
more, it  cannot  be  claimed  as  a  military  necessity.  We  have 
to  pay  the  grocers  and  dry  goods  men  such  prices  as  they 
may  see  fit  to  ask  us.  Now^,  why  select  the  farmers  and 
compel  them  to  sell  at  fixed  prices  ?  If  the  pay  of  the  mili- 
tar}'  who  have  brought  their  fimiilies  here  w-ill  not  support 
them,  let  them  ask  the  Government  for  increase  of  pay,  and 
not  rob  the  poor  farmer. 

An  ever  loyal  farmer, 

JXO.  XEWTOIS^. 
To  Gov.  PiERPoiNT,  Alexandria,  Va." 

I  do  not  know  Mr.  K'ewton,  but  this  is  only  one  of 
numerous  letters  I  have  received  on  this  and  similar  sub- 
jects. 

This  all  proves  one  of  two  things,  either  the  incapacity  of 
the  officers  who  undertake  to  regulate  this  subject,  or  a  de- 
termination to  have  the  articles  produced  in  market  for  less 
tlian  their  value.  It  is  immaterial  to  me  to  which  cause  it 
is  attributable. 

CASE  OF  CIIAS.  W.  BUTTS. 

Mr.  Butts  is  a  lawyer  in  the  cit}^  of  N'orfolk.  Gen.  Wild 
made  an  order  coniiscatinc:  the  estate  of  a  man  in  Ports- 
mouth  b}'  the  name  of  Williams.  AVilliams  was  a  rebel,  but 
toolv  the  oath  under  the  promise  of  protection.     lie  heard 


44 

before  be  took  tbe  oatli  tbat  tbe  military,  witb  some  Boston 
friends,  coveted  bis  dwelling  bouse  and  handsome  furni- 
'ture.  Shortly  after  taking  the  oath,  an  order  was  made 
confiscating  his  propertj-.  Williams  then  (being  in  delicate 
health)  sent  bis  certificate  of  liaving  taken  the  oath  pre- 
scribed by  Gen.  Butler,  claiming  his  protection,  to  General 
Wild,  who  kept  the  certificate  and  endorsed  on  tbe  back  of 
it  "oath  revoked,"  and  ordered  the  ofiicers  in  whose  pos- 
session tbe  books  kept  for  the  purpose  of  recording  names, 
dates,  and  residence  of  persons  taking  the  oath,  and  in  which 
Williams's  name  was  recorded,  to  erase  from  tliem  all  evi- 
dence of  Williams's  having  taken  the  oath,  which  was  done. 
Williams,  with  his  wife  and  children,  were  turned  out  of 
their  own  bouse  into  tbe  streets  of  Portsmouth,  on  the  22d 
of  March  last,  during  the  prevalence  of  one  of  tbe  most  ter- 
rible snow  storms  I  ever  witnessed. 

Butts,  not  in  a  professional  capacit}',  but  as  an  act  of  mere 
justice,  wrote  the  following  letter  to  Attorney  General 
Bates  at  Washington,  accompanied  by  a  copy  of  Gen.  Wild's 
order  of  confiscation  : 

"  IsToilFOLK,  YlRGINIA. 

"Hon.  Edayard  Bates, 

Aitornei/  General,  ^VasMngton,  D.  C.  : 

Sir:  I  have  felt  it  my  duty  on  several  occasions  to  com- 
municate certain  facts  to  you,  but  have  desisted  from  writ- 
ing, knowing  that  your  present  duties  are  so  onerous  that 
yon  have  but  little  time  to  look  after  such  matters.  But 
wben  a  brigadier  general  of  tbe  army  takes  tbe  civil  law  in 
bis  own  bands,  and  orders  real  estate  to  be  confiscated 
without  legal  cause,  totally  disregarding  tbe  laws  of  tbe 
country  as  this  man  Wild  has,  I  feel  constrained  to  write. 
General  Wild,  as  you  are  aware,  is  the  military  commander 
of  the  respective  cities  of  E'orfolk  and  Portsmouth,  who,  in 
my  opinion,  (and  I  have  bad  considerable  military  experience,) 
is  not  a  fit  and  proper  person  to  be  provost  marshal  over 
white  people.  What  I  wish  to  complain  of  is  tbe  following 
order: 

[Copy.]  Provost  Marshal's  Office, 

Portsmouth,  Virginia,  March  9,  1864. 

"  Mr.  John  Williams, 

Portsmouth,  Virginia  : 

"By  order  of  Brigadier  General  Wild,  your  entire  estate 
is  confiscated  to  the  use  of  the  United  States  Government. 


45 

You  will  furnish  tlir  bearer,  Corporal  Prime,  of  this  office, 
a  list  of  houses  and  tenements  now  in  your  possession,  and 
vacate  the  premises  3^ou  now  occupy  on  or  before  the  19th 
of  March. 

DAK  MESSINGEIi, 

Provost  MarshaL 

Mr.  Williams  resides  in  Portsmouth  with  his  fixmil}^  and 
has  taken  tlie  oath  of  allegiance  under  the  President's  proc- 
lamation. If  consistent  with  your  views  or  duties  you  will 
greatly  oblige  by  giving  this  letter  your  attention  as  soon  as 
possible. 

Very  respectfully,  3'our  obedient  servant, 

G.  W.  BUTTS." 

Jud2:e  Bates  endorsed  the  letter  and  sent  it  to  the  Secre- 
tary  of  War.  He  endorsed  it  and  sent  it  to  General  Butler. 
General  Butler  endorsed  it  and  sent  it  to  General  Wild. 
Wild  sent  for  Butts,  asked  him  if  he  wrote  the  letter.  Butts 
said  he  did  ;  handed  Butts  a  cop}^  to  read  ;  and  after  read- 
ing asked  him  if  it  was  a  correct  cop}^  Butts  told  him  it 
was.  Then  Butts  was  shortly  afterwards  handed  an  order 
banishing  him  from  the  department.  He  went  to  General 
Butler  and  complained  ;  asked  Butler  to  rescind  it.  Among 
other  things  Butler  told  him  he  was  iu  trouble  with  him, 
(General  Butler,)  and  took  from  a  pigeon  hole  a  letter  which 
Butts  had  written  to  the  President,  informing  him  of  the 
dollar  charge  on  persons  going  in  and  out  of  General  Butler's 
department,  which  the  President  had  referred  to  General 
Butler,  and  told  Butts  he  was  a  dangerous  man  ;  he  would 
not  interfere  with  General  Wild's  order.  So  Butts  had  to 
leave,  and  at  this  vvritino^  is  an  exile  from  the  home  of  his 
adoption  and  professional  business,  sitting  in  my  office. 

Who  is  Butts?  He  is  a  native  of  JN^ew  Jersey,  a  republi- 
can in  politics;  the  first  political  speech  he  ever  made  was 
advocatino^  Mr.  Lincoln's  election.  He  was  the  second  man 
volunteered  in  his  county  in  the  three  months'  service;  was 
amonof  the  first  who  crossed  from  WashinLcton  to  Alexandria 
Avhen  the  lamented  Ellsworth  fell  in  that  city.  He  served 
as  a  private ;  was  in  the  ISTew  Jersey  reserve  corps,  com- 
manded  by  General  Punyon  at  the  time  of  the  battle  of  Bull 
Pun.  When  his  term  was  out  lie  returned  home.  He  raised 
thirty  men  at  once  and  joined  Colonel  Harlan's  independent 
regiment,  now  the  lltli  Pennsylvania  cavalry,  and  was  com- 
missioned 1st  lieutenant,  and  served  with  distinction  on  the 


46 

Peninsula,  between  James  and  York  rivers.  Butts  lias 
many  certificates  of  which  any  young  man  ought  to  be 
proud,  fur  acts  of  daring  and  gahantry  on  the  field.  I  will 
quote  the  endorsement  of  Colonel  Spear,  the  gallant  com- 
mander of  his  regiment,  on  his  request  to  resign  : 

"Headquarters  11th  Pexxsylyaxia  Cavalry, 
(Near  Portsmouth,  Virginia,)  OctoUr  4,  ISt^S. 
''Approved  and  recommendecl.  I  am  fully  aware  of  the 
reasons  which  compel  this  applicant  to  ofl'er  his  resignation. 
I  have  known  him  to  take  the  field  when  he  was  more  fitted 
to  be  in  bed,  and  was  prompted  to  do  so  by  pure  energetic 
motives.  He  has  on  many  occasions  distinguished  himself 
in  action  ;  brave,  cool,  and  determined  as  an  oflicer,  urbane, 
polite  and  gentlemanl}'  as  a  citizen.  I  shall  deeply  deplore 
his  loss  to  m}^  regiment. 

(Signed,)  SAMUEL  P.  SPEAP, 

Colonel  l^th  Pmnsykania  Caudrij.''' 

Major  General  Peck  and  Brigadier  General  E.  S.  Foster, 
both  crave  him  hiirh  testimonials  for  acts  of  bravery  and 
personal  daring  in  the  execution  of  orders  under  their  im- 
mediate commands.  Butts  resigned  on  account  of  ill  health  ; 
had  contracted  as^ue  and  fever  in  the  low  lands  of  Virci^inia. 
He  commenced  the  practice  of  law  in  Xorfolk.  With  his 
young  and  chivalrous  spirit  he  saw  what  he  knew  was  wrong. 
He  represented  it  as  a  citizen  to  his  Government.  For  that 
he  was  exiled. 

GEXEPv  AL  BUTLER'S  MILITARY  ADMIXISTRATIOX 

IX  THE  FIELD. 

Since  General  Butler  has  been  so  vigilant  in  trving 
to  impress  the  public  mind  that  the  civil  government 
was  inefiicient  at  Xorfolk,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  advert 
to  his  administration  of  militarv  afi:airs  in  the  fieid  in 
that  vicinity.  The  first  movement  was  to  send  about 
one  hundred  men  to  Smith  field,  on  the  James  river,  in  the 
face  of  the  enemv,  with  no  mode  of  retreat,  and  onlv  to  be 
supported  by  gunboats  going  up  a  creek  that  is  little  more 
than  a  quagmire  at  low  tide.  The  result  was  the  loss  of  the 
whole  command,  and  the  destruction  of  a  gunboat,  which 
got  aground. 

The  next  was  General  Wild's  notable  raid  into  Xortli 
Carolina  and  Princess  Anne  countv.     I  never  want  to  see  the 


47 

history  of  that  raid  until  tlie  war  is  over.     The  takins:  of 
Miss  White  a  prisoner  is  only  one  ot*  the  occurrences. 

The  next  was  the  projected  raid  on  Richmond,  for  the  lib- 
eration of  the  Union  prisoners.     The  failure  was  much  re- 
gretted.    It  was  attributed  to  the  desertion  of  a  Union  sol- 
dier, who  carried  the  news  to  Kichmond,  and  gave  them 
time  to  rallj^  and  defeat  the  project.     And  the  public  have 
been  amused  and  satisfied  with  this  story,  and  Genei'al  But- 
ler lauded   to  the  heavens  for  the  conception  of  the  noble 
idea.     He  insulted    the  ^avy  hy  attributing  to   the   officers 
unfaithfulness,  and  imprisoned  a  lad3'  thirteen  days,  keeping 
her  on  bread  and  water,  to  force  her  to  tell  what  naval  otiicer 
had  told  her  of  the  contemplated  expedition  to  Richmond, 
when  she  knew  nothing  about  it.     Of  all  of  this  the  public 
was  duly  notified  through  the  press.     But  is  it  not  strange 
how  the  soldier  who  deserted  knew  anything  about  the  ob- 
jects of  the  army,  so  as  to  give  the  information   so  long  be- 
forehand ?     It  is  said  of  General  Harrison,  when   he  com- 
manded at  Fort  Meigs,  in  the  winter  of  1812,  that  there  was 
a  report  of  the  approaching  enemy,  and  some   young  man 
asked  him  what  he  was  going  to  do,  in  case  the  enemy  were 
at  a  certain  point.     The  General  replied  that  if  he  thought 
his  shirt  knew  his  thoughts,  he  would  burn  it.     I  lieard  this 
when  I  was  vQvy  j^oung,  and  it  impressed  me.     I  was  im- 
pressed when  I  heard  the  story  of  the  deserter.     I  asked  the 
first  four  or  five  men  I  met  from  Norfolk  if  it  was  known 
there  publicly  before  the  expedition  started  that  it  was  going. 
Every  one  of  them   replied   that  they  knew   it  from  six  to 
ten  days  before  it  started.     The  troops  that  were  going,  the 
object,  route,  and  all  about  it.     It  was  told  hy  Lis  own  ofli- 
cers.     General  Butler  knew  to  whom  he  had  confided  his 
plans.     Why  did  he  not  strike  there  for  the   person  who  re- 
vealed the  secret  ?     I  think  it  very  likely   that  the  news  of 
the  raid  was  communicated  from  Jforfolk  to  Richmond,  and 
it  was  suggested  in  the   letter,   "publish  that  you   got  this 
news   from  a  Union   soldier   who   deserted."     But   it  was 
known  at  Williamsburg,  and  talked  of  among  the  soldiers 
for  at  least  six  days  before  the  expedition  started.    Yet  cen- 
sure is  lieaped  on  everyl)ody,  to  keep  observation  from  Gen- 
eral Butler  and  his  confidential  advisers. 

The  last  military  exploit  I  heard  of,  was  a  raid  into  ISTorth 
Carolina  and  the  capture  of  two  lighter  loads  of  corn  and 
meal,  with  some  contrabands,  and  the  selling  of  the  corn  at 
public  auction,  and  the  proceeds  of  sale  went  into  the  j9ro- 
vosi  marshaVs  faniL 


48 

With  all  the  ridicule  of  General  Butler,  and  the  sneers  of 
his  New  Regime,  at  the  civil  government  of  Norfolk  and 
Portsmouth,  it  will  standout  in  bold  relief  as  effective,  when 
compared  with  General  Butler's  military  operations  in  the 
field  in  that  section. 

The  last  I  heard  from  the  provost  court,  they  were  very 
desirous  of  trying  a  case  of  habeas  corpus  to  determine  the 
custody  of  two  children,  between  a  husband  and  wife  who 
had  separated. 

WHAT   BECOMES  OF  THE  PROVOST  MARSHAL'S 

FUND. 

I  might  answer  this  question  by  repeating  the  question, 
what  does  become  of  it  ?  Perhaps  this  is  about  as  satisfac- 
tor}'  an  answer  as  the  country  will  ever  get. 

It  does  not  go  into  the  Treasury  of  the  United  States,  nor 
do  I  suppose  it  relieves  it  of  any  of  its  burdens.  It  is  esti- 
mated by  those  who  have  pretty  good  opportunity  of  know- 
inof.  that  there  has  been  collected  since  General  Butler  went 
to  Old  Point  last  fall,  from  two  to  three  hundred  thousand 
dollars  into  this  fund.  There  has  been  a  system  of  excess- 
ive lines  introduced  for  one  supposed  offense  and  another, 
varying  from  fifty  to  five  thousand  dollars.  In  addition  to 
this  mode,  property,  captured  and  confiscated,  all  goes  into 
iho: 'provost  marshals  fund,  w^ith  tax  on  goods  shipped  into 
and  out  of  "the  district,  tax  on  oysters  and  dogs,  clearances 
of  vessels,  &:c.,  &c. 

Some  repairs  are  being  made  on  the  streets.  This  is  done 
by  convicts,  soldiers  and  citizens  in  penitentiary  uniform, 
with  Government  teams  to  do  the  hauling,  superintended  by 
a  contractor.  He  may  be  paid  for  all  that  is  done.  Adver- 
tisements in  the  JSew  Regime,  and  it  is  said  there  are  about 
forty  detectives  there,  all  under  pay,  perhaps,  to  keep  down 
the  fund.  But  as  to  its  disposition,  all  is  conjecture.  One 
thing  is  certain,  there  is  great  interest  taken  in  enlarging  the 
fund.  One  man  got  a  permit  to  bring  in  three  thousand 
dollars'  worth  of  goods,  and  paid  thirty  dollars.  His  wife 
was  taken  ill,  and  remained  sick  for  some  time.  He  could 
not  leave  home,  and  when  slie  got  well  he  had  to  decline  his 
enterprise.  He  called  to  get  his  money  back,  but  was  re- 
fused. Buck  &  Whitehnrst  got  a  permit  last  fall  to  bring  in 
thirty  thousand  dollars*  worth  of  some  kind  of  goods,  but 
the  permit  was  delayed  S)  long  that  the  season  passed  for 
the  sale  of  the  article ;  they  only  brought  in  ten  thousand 


49 

dollars'  worth.  They  called  for  their  two  hundred  dollars 
paid  on  the  permit  they  did  not  use,  and  were  also  prohib- 
ited from  shipping  anything  more  ;  but  they  could  not  get 
back  their  two  hundred  dollars.  The  Government  would 
refund  under  such  circumstances. 

In  this  succinct  statement  I  have  only  given  a  few  cases. 
I  don't  know  that  they  are  the  worst  cases.  An  elaborate 
history  might  be  written  of  the  acts  there,  all  interesting  in 
detail,  and  tendins:  to  illustrate  more  fullv  the  existence  of 
systematic  abuse  of  military  power.  I  am  informed  that 
the  same  system  prevails  perhaps  to  a  greater  extent  in 
North  Carolina  than  in  Virginia,  because  there  is  less  re- 
straint there.  Civil  government  seems  to  check  it  a  little — 
hence  the  anxiety  to  break  it  up,  in  order  that  they  may 
have  a  clear  field. 

It  is  strange  to  me  that  such  a  system  should  have  grown  up 
whereby  military  commanders  collect  tens  and  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  dollars  into  this  post  or  provost  marshal's  fund 
which  is  held  by  men  who  give  no  bonds.  None  of  it  goes 
into  the  United  States  Treasury,  but  little  of  it  to  relieve 
the  Treasury  of  its  burdens,  and  much  of  it  expended  for 
objects  in  no  way  connected  with  the  suppression  of  the 
rebellion.  This,  to  my  mind,  is  a  subject  which  needs 
attention. 

THE  EFFECT  OF  ALL  THIS  OIST  THE  PUBLIC  MIND. 

On  going  to  Norfolk  about  the  20th  of  March  last,  I  was 
humiliated.  At  Old  Point  and  Norfolk,  I  met  men,  who, 
six  months  ago,  stood  erect  and  talked  like  freemen,  who 
were  proud  of  their  country,  and  that  they  were  American 
citizens.  But  now  the  hand  of  oppression  is  upon  them, 
they  look  dejected  and  disheartened.  When  they  spoke  to 
me  of  their  troubles,  it  was  far  from  the  presence  of  any  one, 
and  then  in  an  undertone.  When  they  came  into  my  room 
to  talk  with  me,  they  would  look  around  the  room  to  assure 
themselves  that  there  was  no  spy  concealed,  and  see  that 
the  doors  were  closely  shut.  The  Union  papers  have  been 
regretting  that  the  Union  cause  for  some  time  past  has  been 
on  the  decline  in  North  Carolina.  It  is  true.  The  wail  ot 
the  oppressed  there  under  General  Butler's  rule  has  gone 
outtlirough  the  old  North  State  and  hushed  the  clamor  ot 
her  liberty-loving  people  for  the  blessings  of  freedom  they 
expected  to  enjoy  under  the  old  stars  and  stripes.  And 
these  oppressions  now  form  the  principal  staple  for  the  rebel 
4  P 


50 

Governor  Yance  in  his  canvass  for  re-election,  to  persuade 
the  people  to  be  reconciled  to  JefF.  Davis's  despotism. 

In  October  last  I  felt  hopeful  and  buoyant  at  the  prospect 
of  returning  loyalty,  and  the  disposition  of  the  people  to 
sustain  the  restored  government.  General  Foster  was  in 
command  of  the  department.  I  found  him  a  gentleman 
and  a  soldier,  earnest  in  his  profession  and  desire  to  do  right. 
General  Barnes  was  placed  in  command  of  the  two  cities. 
He  was  from  Massachusetts,  an  educated,  earnest  soldier, 
and  all  you  would  expect  in  a  Massachusetts  gentleman. 
Massachusetts,  God  bless  her  !  I  love  her  people.  In  Vir- 
ginia's darkest  day,  in  1861,  while  the  committee  of  safety 
was  guiding,  to  a  certain  extent,  the  destiny  of  the  loyal 
people  of  the  State,  the  lightning  of  heaven  brought  us 
the  happy  dispatch  from  Governor  Andrews  that  Massachu- 
setts would  let  the  loyal  men  of  Virginia  have  two  thousand 
muskets  to  be  used  in  the  defense  of  liberty  in  the  State. 
A  messenger  was  immediately  dispatched  for  the  arms. 
They  came,  and  immediately  on  the  reorganization  of  the 
State,  I  placed  them  in  the  hands  of  the  men,  where  tliey 
did  good  service.  The  sending  of  the  arms  gave  great 
moral  strength  to  the  Union  cause  and  to  Union  hearts, 
and  I  say  again,  I  love  Massachusetts.  It  is  an  old  adage, 
"  that  there  are  few  mothers  with  many  children  but  there 
are  some  black  sheep  among  them."  Massachusetts  has 
hers,  and  I  am  after  them.  But  I  was  speaking  ot  Gen- 
eral Barnes.  He  took  great  interest  in  the  civil  affairs 
of  this  section.  General  Lockwood  was  doing  the  same  in 
Accomac  and  ^Northampton.  The  civil  officers  began  to 
feel  assured  that  they  were  going  to  be  sustained,  were 
taking  courage,  and  civil  affairs  began  to  move  off  smoothly. 
But  General  Lockwood  and  General  Barnes  did  not  suit  Gen- 
eral Butler,  and  they  were  removed  from  his  department. 
Before  General  Butler  went  there,  the  Union  men  were 
buoyant  with  the  hope  of  seeing  their  section  settled  and 
repopulated  by  people  from  the  l!Torth.  They  welcomed 
Northern  men  among  them.  But  now  dejection,  despond- 
ency and  bitterness  is  seen  where  hope  then  existed,  and  deep 
sectional  hostility  is  beginning  to  manifest  itself.  Oh  !  it  is  a 
bitter,  hitter  contemplation,  to  see  so  glorious  a  cause  as  the 
Union  cause  thus  stricken  and  w^ounded  in  the  house  of 
its  friends.  My  heart  is  sick,  sick  at  the  contemplation.  But 
there  is  consolation  in  knowing  that  the  abuses  only  exist 
in  this  city  and  the  district  of  Virginia  and  IN'orth  Carolina, 
and  that  you,  gentlemen,  form  a  tribunal  to  w^hom  we  can 


51 

appeal,  which  is  too  high  and  too  pure  to  refuse  adequate 
relief. 

THE  REMEDY. 

I  am  asked  is  it  too  late  to  remedy  the  evil  and  restore 
the  cause  ?  I  answer,  no.  The  remedy  is  indicated  by  the 
inspired  prophet  in  his  declaration  that  "  righteousness  ex- 
alteth  the  nation,  and  sin  is  a  reproach  to  any  people." 
Then  the  remedy  is  in  doing  right.  This  is  the  easiest  mat- 
ter in  the  world.  Sin  is  a  reproach,  that  is,  doing  wrong, 
and  it  always  brings  trouble.  Rebels  will  never  be  fully 
punished  in  this  world.  Many  universalists  have  abandoned 
their  favorite  dogma  of  a  universal  heaven  since  this  war 
commenced.  They  see  plainly  that  there  can  be  no  ade- 
quate punishment  on  earth  for  those  who  have  brought  the 
calamities  of  this  terrible  war  on  the  country.  If  fifty  men 
in  Virginia  had  done  six  years  ago  what  lifty  thousand  have 
done  in  the  last  three  years,  they  all  would  have  been  hung. 
But  the  Government  thinks  it  not  wise  to  undertake  to  kill 
everybody  who  has  turned  traitor.  I  think  that  is  right. 
When  Korah,  Dathan,  and  Abiram,  with  the  two  hundred 
and  lifty  princes  rebelled  against  Moses,  the  earth  opened 
and  they  were  swallowed  up  ;  a  consuming  flame  came  out 
and  killed  the  two  hundred  and  fifty  princes,  and  the  people 
wdio  were  led  away  by  them  fled  to  the  side  of  Moses  and 
were  not  hurt.  Perhaps  we  have  an  example  in  this,  that  it 
is  right  to  extend  amnesty  to  all  but  the  leaders  in  rebellion. 
It  is  certainly  the  prerogative  of  the  Government  to  fix  the 
terms  of  amnesty  to  rebels.  If  the  Government  liad  de- 
clared they  should  all  be  killed,  and  had  killed  as  fast 
as  we  got  to  them,  it  would  be  diflicult  to  prove  that  it  w^as 
not  a  just  act.  Slavery  was  the  root  of  the  rebellion.  Per- 
haps its  abolishment,  with  confiscation,  will  be  punish- 
ishment  enough.  But  the  President,  for  wise  purposes,  de- 
termined that  all  wdio  would  return  to  allegiance,  from  the 
grade  of  colonel  and  under,  and  take  the  oath  he  prescribed, 
should  he  pensioned  and  restored  to  all  their  rights  of  prop- 
erty, unless  it  had  been  sold  under  the  laws  punishing 
traitors.  But  if  confiscations  had  commenced  and  not  pros- 
ecuted to  sale,  the  proceedings  are  to  be  dismissed  upon  the 
rebels  taking  the  oath.  The  fullest  and  amplest  protection 
is  oflered.  General  Butler  has  ordered  all  in  his  military 
district  to  take  the  oath  with  the  solemn  pledge  of  protec- 
tion ;  the  nation  is  bound  to  guarantee  it.     It  is  right  to 


52 


guarantee  it   alter  it  is  Diacle.     The  Government,  through 
the   President,    has   prescrihed    the   terms    by    which   the 
rebel    is  to   be   protected.      He    conforms   to   the    requisi- 
tion, the  terms  must  be  kept  on  our  part.     A  great  Gov- 
ernment like  the  United  States  cannot  afford  to  do  wrong. 
iSTow,  it  is  right  to  redress  all  the  wrongs   General  Butler 
has  committed   in    his  district  as    far   as   possible.      It  is 
right  to  return   the  gas  works   to  the  proper  owners,  with 
a  fair  charge  for  the  repairs,  and  an  account  for  the  profits 
and  especiall}'  to  return  the  thirteen  hundred  dollars  which 
were   in   the   safe.     It  is   right   to   return    to   Mrs.    Tatem 
her  silver  cake  baskets  ;  to  return  to  the  proper  owners  the 
silver  taken  from  the  house  of  Mr.  Bilisolly,  and  also  the 
wine  and  brandy  taken  from  his  house,  and  if  it  cannot  be 
returned  to  punish  those  who  have  put  it  out  of  the  power 
uf  the  Government  to  do  right.     It   is   right   to   return    to 
Daniels  &  Zantzins^er  the  lifteen  thousand  dollars  taken  from 
them,  and  to  reimburse  Hodgins  for  violently  turning  him 
out  of  his  house,  and  those  who  occupy  the  house   should 
pay  the  money  ;  and  to  require  the  speculators  to  reimburse 
the  farmers  whose  land  they  have  stripped  of  timber,  if  these 
farmers  have  taken  the  oath  and  have  not  violated  it.     Wil- 
liams and  all  the  other  parties  that  have  been  turned  out  of 
their  houses  should  have  their  property  restored  to  them, 
where  they  have  taken  the  oath  and  not  violated  it.     This 
done,  and  there  is  no  fair  man  living  but  will  say  it  is  right 
that  it  should  be  done  ;  this  would  be  that  kind  of  righteous- 
ness which    exalteth    a    nation.     The    news    of    its    being 
ordered  would  thrill  the  hearts  of  the  Union  men  in  reb- 
eldom.     It  would  be  grateful  to  every  loyal  heart  in  the  na- 
tion, and  would  create  a  little  jubilee  in  those  desponding 
hearts  in  this  section.     Loyalty  would  prevail,  and  blessings 
would  he  poured  out  of  grateful  hearts  upon  the  Govern- 
ment, where  secret  curses  and  imprecations  are  now  being 
indulged  in  ;  and  as  General  Grant  goes  south  this  spring, 
hundreds   of  thousands  will    flock  around  his  banner  and 
kiss  the  old  flag,  conscious  that  no  wrong  will  be  sufl'ered 
where  it  floats.     It  will  disarm  hundreds  of  thousands   of 
their  stubbornness,  and  save  the  lives  of  thousands  of  Union 
soldiers.     I  am  satistied  that  these  oppressions  have  done 
more  to  unite  the  rebels  in  the  south  and  retard  Union  sen- 
timent there,  though  conflned  to  a  narrow  compass  as  they 
are,  than  any  thing  that  has  occurred  since  the  rebellion  has 
commenced,  and  it  not  corrected  their  warning  voice  will 
go  into  the  south,  and  General  Grant  as  he  goes  forward  this 


53 

Slimmer,  with  his  noble  comrades,  will  have  a  hard  road  to 
travel. 

The  natural  condition  of  men  is  under  civil  government. 
The  military  is  an  organized  artificial  force  to  aid  the  civil 
law  to  assert  its  power  when  resisted  by  force.  It  is  right 
that  the  civil  discharge  all  the  duties  assigned  it  by  society; 
if  resisted,  the  military  removes  the  resistance;  when  that 
is  done  it  has  performed  its  function.  Whenever  it  attempts 
to  discharge  civil  duties  it  is  ivrong,  and  begets  discord.  It 
is  right  for  the  officers  to  attend  to  the  duties  assigned  them 
by  the  rules  of  war;  to  drill  and  discipline  the  soldier;  to 
prepare  him  for  effective  duty;  to  look  after  his  health,  and, 
as  far  as  possible,  to  preserve  his  morals;  to  lead  him  in 
battle,  and  in  all  things  to  set  him  a  good  example.  War 
is  expensive,  both  in  money  and  life,  hence  it  should  be  short. 
I  think  there  can  be  no  controversy  about  these  propositions 
being  right  in  theorj^;  and  their  practicable  application  is 
this.  If  the  military  wdll  drive  all  the  rebel  army  out  of  the 
State  I  will  reorganize  every  county  in  the  State  in  less  than 
six  months,  with  loyal  officers  to  execute  the  civil  laws. 
If  they  will  remove  all  the  soldiers  from  the  limits  of  the 
city  of  Alexandria,  I^Torfolk  and  Portsmouth,  except  what 
may  be  necessary  to  guard  the  public  stores,  and  pick  up 
straggling  soldiers  that  come  into  the  cities,  I  will  ensure  the 
good  government  of  all  three  of  the  cities  through  the  civil 
government,  and  save  the  Federal  Government  at  least  thirty 
thousand  dollars  per  annum  by  way  of  pay  to  military 
brigadiers  and  their  staffs,  and  superfluous  bands  of  music, 
for  which  the  civil  2:overnment  will  not  charo:e  one  cent.  I 
submit,  in  all  earnestness,  that  the  city  of  Korfolk,  for  in- 
stance, with  fifteen  hundred  women  con ijrecrated  there  "who 
are  no  better  than  they  ought  to  be,"  is  not  the  place  for 
soldiers  or  officers,  who  are  expected  to  do  efficient  work  in 
the  field.  In  the  city  is  not  the  place  for  the  officer  or  sol- 
dier to  defend  tlie  city.  Philadelphia  and  Washington  are 
defended  and  protected  by  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  Nor- 
folk and  Alexandria  should  be  protected  by  the  army  out- 
side of  the  cities,  and  there  is  no  sort  of  military  necessity 
for  a  military  governor  being  in  either  city — a  battalion  with 
a  field  officer  as  commandant  of  the  post  is  all  that  is  neces- 
sary. 

It  will  greatly  relieve  the  complication  of  matters  at  Nor- 
folk to  open  the  port,  and  appoint  an  honest  collector.  He 
could  attend  to  the  business  with  half  the  cost  to  the  Govern- 
ment and  much  more  benefit  to  all  concerned.     This  would 


54 

greatly  diminish  the  stock  of  goods  kept  on  hand  in  those 
cities.  This  must  he  evident  to  any  person  who  has  oh- 
served  the  practical  workings  of  the  present  system.  A 
merchant  now  applies  at  JS'orfolk  for  a  permit  to  ship  goods 
into  the  city;  he  gets  it  signed  there;  he  then  sends  it  to 
Washington  for  approval ;  it  is  then  sent  to  the  custom  house 
at  Baltimore.  This  is  done  in  a  week;  sometimes  two  or 
three  weeks  transpire;  hence,  a  merchant  to  avoid  trouble 
of  permit,  gets  large  supplies;  and  lest  he  should  run  out, 
replenishes  soon;  keeping  on  hand  a  large  surplus;  but 
open  the  ports,  dispense  with  the  permits,  and  he  can  send 
to  Baltimore  and  get  a  return  in  48  hours  at  furthest. 
Their  cargoes  with  their  invoices  would  be  subject  to  in- 
spection by  custom  house  officers.  The  same  regulations 
would  still  have  to  be  kept  up  as  to  blockade  runners.  But 
I  would  dispense  with  much  of  that  force  b}^  hanging  or 
shootins:  all  the  blockade  runners  caus-ht.  These  rascals 
have  no  claim  upon  their  lives  when  tliej^  put  the  country 
to  millions  of  expense  to  watch  them,  besides  a  large  num- 
ber of  soldiers  exposed  to  premature  disease.  In  all  such 
cases,  when  fairly  detected,  they  should  be  hung.  I  think 
they  are  worse  than  spies.  They  combine  the  spy  and  the 
thief. 

The  loyal  people  of  IN'orfolk  and  Portsmouth  paid  nearly 
$25,000  of  internal  revenue  last  year;  I  do  not  know  how 
much  this.  Many  of  them,  however,  have  paid  large  amounts 
of  internal  revenue  for  licenses  that  have  not  been  permitted 
to  use  them ;  others  commenced  using  and  were  closed  up 
by  the  caprice  of  military  commanders,  and  to  make  way 
for  those  who  are  in  the  same  trade  as  monopolists.  This 
is  a  reproach. 

I  submit  these  su£:£restions  with  ^veat  deference.  But 
the  subjects  I  have  embraced  are  so  deeply  interesting  to 
the  people  I  represent,  that  did  I  not  call  them  to  j^our  at- 
tention I  should  be  grossly  criminal. 

I  have  been  just  as  close  to  this  war,  ever  since  it  com- 
menced, as  I  could  without  much  danger  of  being  luirt,  and 
have  observed  as  closely  as  I  could  all  the  time.  I  think  I 
understand  the  subject  about  which  I  am  writing,  and  I  am 
satisfied  that  if  the  militarjM'ule  had  been  practiced  in  West 
Virginia  as  it  was  in  Alexandria  for  the  last  eighteen  months, 
and  in  Xorfolk  for  the  last  five  months,  that  instead  of  the  vast 
majority  of  loyal  Union  men  that  are  there  now  sustaining 
the  Government  with  men  and  money,  and  with  happiness 
and  prosperity  around  them,  there  would  have  been  a  vast 


55 

majority  of  copperheads  and  secessionists,  and  civil  govern- 
ment could  not  have  been  sustained.  Regiments  that  now 
fill  the  Union  army  would  have  been  in  the  secession  army. 
I  mean  precisely  Avhat  I  say. 

The  question  has  been  asked  me,  I  am  satisfied,  a  thousand 
times,  "  Do  the  President  and  Congress  know  of  the  op- 
pression practiced  on  us  ?"  The  people  say,  ^'  We  have 
great  confidence  in  the  President's  honesty  and  the  purity 
of  Congress,  and  they  will  redress  our  wrongs."  .  I  have 
an  abiding  confidence,  gentlemen,  in  your  justice. 

I  was  born  in  Virginia.  I  desire  to  live  in  Virginia  when 
this  rebellion  is  subdued.  I  hope  to  see  the  old  flag  shortly 
unfurled  in  every  county  in  the  State,  and  the  people  ac- 
knowledging its  majesty,  and  acknowledging  with  uplifted 
hands,  the  Constitution  it  represents  to  be  the  supreme  law 
of  the  land.  I  never  expect  to  have  the  love  and  syyiijpaihij 
of  the  rebels ;  but  by  the  grace  of  God,  by  doing  right^  I 
intend  to  command  their  respect.  My  ardent  desire  and 
sincere  prayer  is,  that  this  rebellion  may  be  speedily  crushed, 
that  freedom  may  be  enjoyed,  not  only  in  the  State,  but  in 
all  the  broad  limits  of  the  nation,  and  that  when  the  impar- 
tial historian  comes  to  make  up  the  record,  he  may  be  able 
truthfully  to  publish,  that  in  accomplishing  this  great  result 
the  Government  never  sanctioned  a  wrong  that  was  done  to 
any  man,  however  humble. 


A  P  r  E  N  1)  I  X . 


The  following  letter  from  General  Batler  appeared  in  the 
New  Regime,  his  own  organ,  published  in  Korfolk,  and  has 
been  copied  into  some  of  the  papers  in  the  countr3\  Lest 
it  may  mislead  the  public,  I  propose  to  expose  the  state- 
ments therein  made.     I  publish  the  letter  in  full : 

He^dquakters  18th  Army  Corps, 

Department  of  Va.  and  N.  C, 

Fortress  Monroe,  May  4, 1864. 

Sir  :  I  have  received  your  note  saying  that  you  are  assessing  for  State  licenses  for  1864,  and 
further  that  "  the  regulations  giving  the  privilege  of  bringmg  spirituous  liquors  into  the  city  to  a 
few  persons  only  is  giving  dissatisfaction  to  many  persons, and  will  reduce  the  number  of  licenses, 
and  conscqiiently  the  revenues  from  this  source." 

You  then  furtiier  give  me  your  opinion  that  restricting  the  sale  of  liquors  to  a  few  persons  will 
not  reduce  the  consumption,  and  that  you  think  that  all  merchants  of  good  standing  should  have 
the  privilege,  and  that  you  are  satisfied  that  I  did  not  make  the  regulation  in  the  interest  of  the 
few. 

I  have  given  licenses  to  twelve  persons  to  sell  liquor  in  Norfolk,  they  keeping  accurate  books  to 
whom  they  sell,  and  they  are  held  responsible  for  the  purposes  to  which  it  goes,  to  the  extent  of 
their  licenses.  If  the  license  is  a  valuable  thing  to  them,  that  makes  a  check  upon  their  actions. 
I  was  informed  before  the  order  issued,  that  the  soi  disant  Governor  of  Virginia,  Peirpoint,  had 
complained  that  the  non-granting  of  liquor  licenses  in  Alexandria  by  Gen.  Slough  had  nearly 
bankrupted  the  Treasury  of  Virginia.  I  think  a  State  which  cannot  exist  without  deriving  its 
jirinciple  revenue  from  the  unrestricted  sale  of  poisonous  liquors  to  its  inhabitants,  had  better  get 
itself  out  of  existence. 

If  my  regulations  in  this  regard  should  have  that  effect  upon  such  a  State  as  I  have  described,  it 
would  be  a  source  of  congratulation.  Twelve  (12)  persons  selling  liquor  at  retail,  and  all  res- 
pectable hotels  selling  it  to  their  guests,  would  seem  to  be  enough,  in  a  city  of  ten  thousand 
whites  and  five  thousand  blacks,  to  engender  pauperism  and  crime,  and  prevent  monopoly,  and 
as  you  and  I  agree  that  the  less  sold  the  better,  the  more  restriction  thrown  around  the  sale  the 
less  will  be  sold,  is  the  universal  law  of  trade. 

I  have  the  persona;  acquainUmce,  and  prior  to  the  granting  of  their  licences  have  never  spoken 
to  or  seen  but  two  of  the  twelve  persons  to  whom  this  permit  was  given.  After  the  twelve  were 
filled  up,  one  of  my  warmest  and  oldest  personal  friends  in  trade  in  Xorfolk,  I  was  obliged  to  re- 
fus%  because  I  had  fixed  the  number  at  twelve.  Because  of  this,  I  have  been  abused  by  the 
supposed  Governor  of  the  State  of  Virginia,  in  a  scurrilous  pamphlet,  which  is  the  only  aid  I  have 
received  from  him  since  taxing  charge  of  this  Department,  towards  suppressing  the  rebellion  or 
in  governing  a  disarranged  community. 

1  have  done  what  I  believe  to  be  right  in  this  regard,  and  neither  the  opinions  of  the  asatssor — 
for  whom  I  entertain  a  high  respect — nor  the  abuse  of  the  Governor  will  be  very  likely  to  move 
nie  from  my  position. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

BenJ  .  r.  BUTLEE. 

To  John  F.  Dunn,  Assessor,  4th  District  of  Virginia,  Norfolk,  Va. 

I  desire  to  call  particular  attention  to  the  first  paragraph. 
He  commenced  by  saying  "  I  have  received  your  note  saying 
that  you  are  collecting  State  license  for  1864,  and  further 
that,"  &c. 

Observe  the  residue  of  the  paragraph  is  in  quotation 
marks.  jSTo  man  can  read  this  letter  without  coming  to  the 
.5P  ^ 


58 

conclusion  that  Mr.  Dunn  is  the  assessor  of  State  revenue. 
When  the  f^ct  is  he  has  nothing  to  do  with  State  revenue, 
but  is  the  assessor  of  United  States  internal  revenue  for 
the  fourth  district  of  Virginia. 

He  further  savs  :  ''  I  have  given  licenses  to  twelve  persons 
to  sell  liquor  in  l^orfolk.  =*=  *  *  Twelve  persons  selling 
at  retail,  and  all  respectable  hotel  keepers  selling  to  their 
guests,"  &c. 

This  is  a  singular  statement ;  when  it  is  known  that  hotel 
keepers  and  restaurant  keepers  both  sell  to  theirguests  to  be 
drank  where  sold,  and  also  retail  it  to  be  carried  away  in 
bottles.  There  must  be  more  than  twelve  who  sell  bv  retail, 
accordino;to  the  General's  own  statement,  ^et  "after  the 
twelve  were  filled  up  he  denied  his  old  personal  friend  a 
license^'"  because  he  had  fixed  the  number  at  twelve.  This 
needs  explanation.  The  facts  are  these :  when  General 
Butler  wrote  this  letter  on  the  4th  of  May  and  up  to  the 
14th  of  May,  and  up  to  this  date,  there  were  only  eight  (8) 
persons  or  firms  permitted  by  General  Butler  to  bring  liquors 
into  the  city  of  N"orfolk,  and  there  were  thirty-six  (36)  hotel 
and  restaurant  keepers  selling  by  retail,  but  not  one  of  these 
thirty-six  were  permitted  to  buy  any  of  their  liquors  in  Bal- 
timore, or  any  other  city,  outside  of  the  city  of  JSTorfolk  but 
the  thirty-six  had  to  buy  of  these  eight  monopolists  at  ex- 
tortionate prices — never  at  less  than  one  hundred  and  fre- 
quently at  two  hundred  per  cent,  profit  on  the  cost  at 
Baltimore  or  !N'ew  York.  Of  these  favored  monopolists  four 
came  from  Massachusetts,  after  General  Butler  came  there, 
three  fromXew  York,  and  one  from  Pennsylvania.  This  is 
a  somewhat  singular  selection  if  it  happened  by  chance. 
What  sensible  man  in  the  United  States  does  not  understand 
this  whole  transaction  in  regard  to  the  monopoly  ?  If  it  is 
to  restrain  the  use  why  not  limit  them  to  small  profits — that 
luaa  not  in  the  license. 

The  General  thinks  these  are  enough  ^Ho  engender  pawper- 
ism  and  crime''  in  a  population  of  fifteen  thousand.  I  think 
so  too,  and  neither  advised  or  counseled  it,  and  if  anybody 
is  responsible  for  it,  it  is  the  veritable  General  Butler.  There 
was  but  one  firm,  Zantzinger  &  Co.,  that  were  selling  in 
very  moderate  quantities,  under  strict  military  orders,  when 
he  went  there.  He  closed  them  up  to  make  way  for  the 
monopolists,  appropriating  fifteen  thousand  dollars  of  their 
money  to  the  provost  marshals  Jund,  when,  if  it  were  right 
to  take  it,  it  should  have  gone  into  the  Treasury  of  the 


59 

United  States,  according  to  the  act  of  Congress  in  such  case 
made  and  provided. 

He  "  was  informed,"  *  '^  *  "  that  the  50Z  <:/fsan^  Gov- 
ernor of  Virginia,  Peirpoint,  had  complained  that  the  non- 
granting  of  liquor  licenses  in  Alexandria  by  General  Slough 
had  nearly  bankrupted  the  treasury  of  Virginia." 

The  committee  of  Congress  on  the  Conduct  of  the  "War 
in  a  report  made  public,  state  "That  the  State  authorities 
urged  that  if  they  were  deprived  of  the  revenue  which  might 
be  derived  from  licensing  the  traffic  in  liquor,  the  salaries  of 
the  State  officers  and  other  expenses  could  not  be  paid." 
Both  General  Butler  and  the  committee  have  been  imposed 
on  in  regard  to  this  statement.  I  know  its  origin,  and  it 
has  no  more  foundation  than  if  they  had  stated  that  the 
salary  of  the  President  and  members  of  Congress  could  not 
be  paid  unless  the  traffic  in  liquor  was  licensed  in  Virginia. 
Peirpoint  and  the  State  authorities  never  urged  any  such 
thing.  The  State  treasury  Jias  not  had  in  it,  at  any  time 
for  the  last  eight  months,  less  than  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

"  Because  of  this,"  says  the  General,  "I  have  been  abused 
b}^  the  supposed  Governor  of  Virginia  in  a  scurrilous  pam- 
phlet." This  is  one  of  Butler's  sharp  "turns,"  as  his  ad- 
mirers would  term  it ;  but  it  is  a  piece  of  much  that  proceeds 
from  him — has  more  of  the  low  cunning  than  anything 
else.  He  seeks  to  make  the  impression  that  it  was  because 
of  an  honest  effort  on  his  part  to  restrict  the  sale  of  liquors 
in  Norfolk,  that  I  had  "  abused"  him  in  a  "  scurrilous"  pam- 
phlet. This  is  not  the  first  time  since  this  war  commenced 
that  I  have  seen  the  maladministration  of  military  officers 
sought  to  be  covered  up  by  the  sweeping  charge  that  the 
general  was  only  trying  to  restrict  the  sale  of  liquor.  When 
that  object  is  honestly  sought  after  it  is  a  virtue.  I  desire 
now  to  say,  once  for  all,  in  regard  to  the  traffic  in  liquor, 
in  my  opinion  it  is  the  w^orst  evil  in  the  United  States 
Army,  and  if  any  general  having  authority,  will  suppress 
its  use  in  Virginia,  I  will  be  the  last  man  to  object ;  but 
where  I  see  its  general  sale  attempted  to  be  suppressed,  and 
at  the  same  time  a  number  of  men  permitted  to  carry  on 
the  business  through  favoritism  for  purposes  of  speculation 
and  monopoly,  and  the  use  of  the  evil  is  not  diminished 
thereby,  I  shall  continue  to  denounce  the  practice  as  odious, 
demoralizing  to  the  citizen  and  soldier.  However  pure  the 
general  may  be  who  practices  it,  the  belief  will  exist  in  the 
community  and  among  the  soldiers  that  he  is  a  part}^  in 
some  way  to  the  speculation  ;  and  it  has   the  worst  efiect 


60 

on  the  public  mind,  weakening  respect  for  public  authority. 
But  General  Butler  knew  when  he  penned  that  sentence  that 
I  had  not  said  one  word  in  my  pamphlet  about  the  restriction 
of  the  sale  of  liquors  where  the  object  was  to  diminish  the 
amount  used  ;  but  it  was  the  7nono2)ol>/  to  strangers,  withhold- 
ing all  privileges  from  citizens,  which  was  odious,  and  I  de- 
nounced it.  But  that  was  only  a  single  charge  among  many 
abuses  of  military  power  that  I  made  public.  If  a  state- 
ment of  facts,  which  are  abuses  of  military  power  constitute 
abase  and  scurrilitu,  then  I  am  liable  to  the  charge.  The 
General  sent  the  silver  home  as  soon  as  he  received  my 
pamphlet,  but  the  wine  and  brandy  were  retained.  This 
is  an  acknowledgment  of  the  justice  of  ray  charge. 

"  This,"  says  he,  "is  the  only  aid  I  have  received  from 
him  since  taking  charge  of  this  department  towards  sup- 
pressing the  rebellion  or  in  governing  this  disarranged  com- 
munity." 

I  kindly  profi'ered  m}^  aid  and  counsel  to  General  Butler 
to  assist  in  governing  that  "disarranged  community;"  but 
instead  of  taking  counsel  from  me,  he  preferred  calling  in 
Tazwell  Ta^'lor  to  his  counsel,  the  most  noted  secessionist 
in  Xorfolk,  to  counsel  how  he  might  overthrow  the  civil 
government.  Taylor  had  taken  a  prominent  part  in  over- 
throwing the  United  States  Government  in  a  large  part  of 
Virginia.  He  was  deemed  fit  counsel  for  General  Butler, 
who  desired  to  overthrow  the  restored  government  of  the 
State.  I  prescribed  to  myself  a  rule  in  the  outset  of  this 
rebellion  not  to  call  into  my  confidence  and  counsel  rebels 
as^ainst  mv  Government,  who  were  seekins;  its  overthrow, 
nor  to  consult  with  generals  who  did;  and  when  I  found 
General  Butler  had  called  Tazwell  Tavlor  to  his  counsel  I 
resolved  to  not  offer  him  mine,  and  I  now  inform  him  that 
he  has  done  more  to  disarrange  .t\\^t  community  than  any 
man  living  except  Jeff".  Davis  and  his  followers. 

*'  I  have  done  what  I  believe  to  be  right  in  this  regard," 
says  the  General,  "and  neither  the  opinion  of  the  assessor 
nor  the  abuse  of  the  Governor  will  be  very  likely  to  move 
me  from  my  position."  I  presume  neither  will  be  likely  to 
move  him  from  his  position ;  but  there  is  a  very  prevalent 
opinion  that  his  blunders,  if  nothing  else,  in  the  command 
of  his  military  department,  will  be  verj'  likely  to  "move" 
him  from  his  "position." 

F.  H.  PEIRPOIXT. 


V 


